Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has heard those “talking s–t” amid Kansas City’s struggles.
During the latest installment of his “New Heights” podcast, the two-time Super Bowl champ called out the Chiefs’ doubters and explained why his team’s issues “can be fixed” following Sunday’s 20-17 loss to their AFC rival Bills — which saw Kelce’s potentially game-winning lateral to Kadarius Toney wiped out by Toney’s offensive offsides penalty.
“I think our defense is playing their asses off all year, man,” the 34-year-old, Kelce said. “We’re not rolling like we have been in the past. And I know there’s a lot of media pointing fingers at some of the skill players that we have and I say, f–k that, man, and excuse my language.
“We usually cuss in light-hearted ways but I feel like you guys had to feel that, whoever’s talking s–t on the skill players in our offense right now.”
Kelce emphasized his confidence in the Chiefs’ current roster, and explained that their setbacks have been self-inflicted.
“It’s a group effort and when you turn the film on, what’s real is we got guys that can play this game,” he said. “We got guys that we can have success with and win with and win championships with, I know it. I’ve been on championship-caliber teams. When you watch the film, penalties in critical moments, turnovers in critical moments — and it’s everybody.
“It’s not one guy, it’s everybody is getting a piece of the pie and yeah, it’s frustrating, but at the same time, we know a lot of it is self-inflicted, and we know that moving forward it can be fixed, and we have the guys to be able to get it fixed.”
Kelce went on to explain that the Chiefs’ doubters are only fueling him and his team to turn things around.
“I kind of sound like a broken record at this point but I don’t give a damn,” he said. “It’s my livelihood and it’s to keep this kind of mentality throughout the season. We’re 8-5, amongst the top of the AFC, and this year we’re battling our tail off and figuring it out what kind of team we are in a different way than we have in the past.
“All this that who I hear in the media right now about who the Chiefs are, it’s only building that beast that we’ve been trying to create this entire year. And it’s only going to keep making us better and better going through these learning experiences and going through these tough games. In years past we found ways to win these games and I think this year we are finding ways to get better every single week.
“I’ll be the first one to say I gotta play better… I just wanted to make sure that Chiefs Kingdom and everybody knows we have everybody we need right here and we’re going to get it fixed, man.”
Kelce reflected on the “lows” the Chiefs have experienced in recent weeks.
Kansas City has four losses in its last six games, including Sunday’s home loss to Buffalo — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ offense has struggled to generate points.
Sunday’s game ended in dramatics after the Chiefs thought they had beaten the Bills on a crazy play with less than two minutes to go in he fourth quarter.
Mahomes dropped back on a second-and-10 and targeted Kelce across the middle — who threw a lateral pass to Toney, and the receiver finished off the touchdown.
However, Toney was penalized for being offsides and the touchdown was negated.
Kelce revealed that he initially thought the ball was tippedand called it an “extremely close” call.
“I went up to it today, man, and I said, man, we had that place f–king rocking,” Kelce said, before he defended Toney, who took heat after the loss for being offside.
“I love KT. If I get the opportunity again I’m going to throw that s–t right to his chest,” Kelce said.
“I got all the faith in the world… He’s one of the best players we got with the ball in his hands.
“Everybody hating on KT right now, I’m not trying to hear that. You can f–king miss me with it. I’m trusting in 1-9 every time he’s out there on the field.”
Mahomes was fired up after the game and was seen yelling on the field.
“That’s the worst f–king call I’ve ever seen,” the reigning NFL MVP was heard telling Bills quarterback Josh Allen after the pair shook hands after the game.
The Chiefs visit the Patriots (3-10) on Dec. 17.
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