What did Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce say about his sideline argument with head coach Andy Reid?
We all saw the scenes of the Chiefs’ star screaming at his coach and we’ve even had a former great give his opinion. Now, it’s time for Travis Kelce to speak.
Despite the tragedy that unfolded at the team’s victory parade, there is no doubt that the Kansas City Chiefs are still extremely pleased with themselves after winning the Super Bowl in overtime on Sunday in Las Vegas. After taking down the San Francisco 49ers in a tightly contested game the team now has its second consecutive title, but it was tricky at times and there was one moment in particular that drew a lot of attention.
What happened with Travis Kelce and Andy Reid?
If you caught the Kansas City Chiefs’ dramatic victory in Super Bowl LVIII, then you will know it was quite literally a game of inches. Indeed, the eventual champions failed to move the ball well in the first half and as a result, frustration began to set in. So much so in fact that it came to a head when cameras caught Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce screaming at head coach Andy Reid. The 34-year-old even appeared to bump into his coach at one point, leaving many shocked and of course wondering what, if any consequences would result from the spat. For context, Kelce had seen just one single reception in the first half which is to say, one can understand why he might have had reason to vent. Indeed, his intensity at the moment is something that seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady addressed earlier this week when speaking on his ‘Let’s Go’ podcast about the incident. Incidentally, both Kelce and Reid joked about it after the game.
OK, but what has Travis Kelce said about the incident?
Before we get to Kelce’s comments, it’s worth noting that after his back and forth with his coach and a rather ‘dry’ first half, he went crazy in the second, registering nine catches for 93 yards. Regardless, the star pass catcher did give his thoughts on the scenario during the latest episode of his “New Heights” podcast, a show that he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce. The pair discussed Travis’ verbal tussle with Reid at length and Kelce was quick to voice his regrets about his behavior.
“I immediately wish I took it back,” he admitted. “Coach Reid actually came right up to me after that and he just let me know, ‘Hey man, I love your passion. I got cameras on me all over the place, man.’ ...Just fired me up even more to go out there and get a (expletive) victory for him, man. Big Red, sorry if I caught you with that cheap shot, baby. But damn I love winning with you.” It was at that point that his brother agreed that he had “crossed a line” by bumping into Reid and that yelling in his face was “over the top.” To his credit Travis also explained that his behavior was not out of anger at Reid, but rather frustration about how the team was playing at that moment. “I can’t get that fired up to the point where I’m bumping Coach and it’s getting him off-balance and stuff,” he said.
Did Travis Kelce give us a clue about his future?
One interesting point that came up was when Travis touched on what comes next. “Coach Reid knows how much I love to play for him. I’m not playing for anybody else, but Big Red. If he calls it quits this year, I’m out there with him, man.” With talk of a three peat already in the air, it seems silly to think that either of the men would depart in the near future, however, this is the NFL and stranger things have happened. What we can assume on the other hand, is that there is no deeper rift between Travis Kelce and Andy Reid, something his brother Jason who played for Reid when he was head coach of the Eagles appeared to reinforce
“I’m not trying to make this situation acceptable, but this is what happens when you have highly motivated passionate individuals,” Jason said. “This doesn’t happen if you and Andy aren’t as close as you are. That’s what nobody (expletive) knows. The reason this happens is because you two love each other so much and respect each other so much that you feel open enough to have an interaction like this.” Of course, Travis did admit that he knew he probably got lucky in the sense that his coach didn’t retaliate. “Oh yeah, I deserve it,” Travis said. “If he would’ve cold-cocked me in the face right there, I would’ve just ate it and just been like, ‘Yeah, let’s (expletive) go!’” Ultimnately, it would appear that everything is right as rain among the Chiefs once again. So, is a three peat on the cards?