The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 28-24 loss to the Denver Broncos hurt more than an average defeat, and Travis Kelce, playing in his 14th year in the NFL, knows it better than anyone.
The Chiefs fell to second place in the AFC West with a 5-2 record, and a playoff run is no longer secured.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes told reporters after the game, “Obviously, it was a big game. I’m not going to hide from that. But, now you’re in a dogfight for the division.”
Kansas City fought back after losing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter at Mile High Stadium. For a moment, it seemed Mahomes and Co. came back to win on the final play, with Kelce acting as a decoy for an end-zone pass to Rashee Rice. The play worked, but a controversial false start penalty on Jaylon Moore negated the score.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Needed a Moment to Compose Himself Before Speaking to Reporters
The 37-year-old veteran did not try to dodge the media after the team’s second consecutive loss. Kelce sounded off on the team’s performance on his “New Heights’ podcast following Kansas City’s 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, where the offense failed to reach the end zone for the first time in Mahomes’ career.
After losing to the Broncos, “Kelce was almost fully dressed when he turned to a group of reporters gathering near his locker,” The Athletic’s Jesse Newell reported. “’Give me one second, guys,’ Kelce said, heading around a corner and briefly disappearing…
“Kelce returned a few minutes later, his eyes red, and spoke with the type of emotion that he hasn’t always shared after games.”
The Chiefs star addressed the team’s glaring issue with penalties. They accrued 11 penalties for 105 yards against the Broncos. Kelce has contributed to the problem, racking up a penalty in each of the past three games.
“It’s frustrating,” he admitted. “You just can’t [expletive] do it, excuse my language. I’ve got to be better for my teammates, and that sets the tone for a lot of people in this room. Everybody’s just gotta up the ante from that.”
Travis Kelce Remains Glass Half-Full When it Comes to the Chiefs’ Season
Kelce’s wife, Taylor Swift, famously referred to the tight end as a “human exclamation point” last year. And while he’s struggling in the immediate aftermath of a tough loss, Kelce still managed to find a silver lining.
“You’ve got to find the positives out of this,” he said. “You can’t dwell on it. They’re a pretty good football team… We showed some fight, a lot of fight. And I can take that out of this.”
Next up, the Chiefs take on the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 9.
Travis Kelce’s Behavior in Locker Room Turns Heads After Chiefs’ Loss