Travis Kelce reveals surprise team he wanted to face in the playoffs

The Kansas City Chiefs closed out the regular season with a crushing defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos. The AFC’s top seed sent in their backups to face their AFC West rivals, avoiding the risk of unexpected injuries ahead of the playoffs while simultaneously eliminating the Cincinnati Bengals with the Broncos' victory.

Zac Taylor, head coach of the Bengals, stated after their win against the Pittsburgh Steelers that no team would want Cincinnati in the playoffs. Considering the difficulties the Chiefs have had with them, some might speculate they deliberately let the game slip to avoid facing a team that has proven challenging in recent years.

Despite this, Travis Kelce, Kansas City’s superstar tight end, made it clear on the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast that the two-time NFL champions fear no one. He expressed his desire to face the Bengals in the playoffs, saying he was ready to take on every team, one by one, as if it were a Mortal Kombat tournament.

“I’m not scared of anyone. I wanted [the Bengals] in the playoffs. I want to beat every team, one by one, like it’s Mortal Kombat,” Kelce said.

“I don’t want it to be something where we only play the lowest seeds. Give me the best teams. AFC, NFC, give me all of them. I’ll go through every single one of them giving it my all. I’m not afraid of any of them.”

The Chiefs and Bengals have met twice in the playoffs during the 2020s, with each team securing a victory. In 2021, Cincinnati triumphed in the AFC Championship Game but fell to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. A year later, Kansas City advanced to the Super Bowl and won their third championship by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles.

Travis Kelce regrets the Bengals missed the playoffs

The Bengals struggled early in the season, leaving them reliant on other teams’ results in the final week to secure a playoff spot. For Kelce, Cincinnati’s presence in the postseason would have been a thrill.

“I love competing against the best. The Bengals were a fun team to watch toward the end of the season,” the tight end explained. “It’s a shame they didn’t make it to the playoffs because they would have made things much crazier and a lot more fun.”

During the regular season, the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Bengals 18-17 with a last-second field goal by Harrison Butker. The kicker nailed a 51-yard attempt as time expired.

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