Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and coach Andy Reid got heated — and a bit physical — during a sideline confrontation in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Kelce was seen growing heated with his coach during an interaction in the first half, leading to Reid giving Kelce a shoulder bump as he moved past the tight end. Though Reid downplayed the incident in an interview just before the half, Kelce is taking some heat for what is now the second major confrontation with his coach.
Andy Reid Said ‘Good’ to Show Emotion
Reid was asked about the confrontation with Kelce during an interview with Melissa Stark as the teams were heading to the locker rooms at halftime. Reid gave it a positive framing, saying it was “good” that the players were showing some emotion amid the team’s struggles.
“We need some juice,” Reid said.
The Chiefs certainly seemed to need a boost on offense. The team struggled to move the ball during the first half, managing just three field goals including one as time expired that was aided by a long pass interference penalty. The Chiefs went into Sunday’s game 0-2, looking for a win over the struggling Giants to get their season back on track.
Not everyone saw the confrontation in such positive terms, however. Many criticized Kelce for losing his cool with Reid, leading the Chiefs coach to deliver a shoulder bump.
“Love that coach Reid gives him a little shoulder bump back. I don’t care who you think you are, you don’t talk to your coach like this,” noted one post on X. “Especially when you’ve been playing the way Kelce has been playing. Another week, another display of this dude losing his temper on the sideline.”
Others praised Reid for pushing back on Kelce’s fiery behavior.
Andy Reid ain’t taking no crap from Travis Kelce!” noted NFL reporter Jordan Dajani in a post on X.
Travis Kelce Has Taken Heat in the Past
This is the second major sideline confrontation between Kelce and Reid, with the tight end also growing heated with his coach during Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs went on to win that game, but Kelce later admitted that he went too far in confronting his coach.
“I can’t get that fired up to the point where I’m bumping coach and it’s getting him off balance and stuff,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast later that month. “When he stumbled, I was just like, ‘Oh, [expletive],’ in my head.”
Kelce said he apologized, and Reid said the pair were able to quickly smooth over their problems.
“Then he came over and gave me a hug and said, ‘Sorry about that,’” he told ESPN after the game. “But you know what? He just wants to be on the field and he wants to play. And, so, there’s nobody I get better than I get him. He’s a competitive kid. You know, he loves to play and he makes me feel young.”
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Under Fire After Physical Confrontation With Andy Reid