Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce got caught flat-footed on a Mahomes scramble, and it cost the Chiefs.
Few tight ends are under more constant scrutiny than Travis Kelce, but apparently the NFL zebras aren’t paying nearly as much attention as opponents, fans, media types and Swifties are to his exploits on the field.
Kelce copped to getting away with a big one on Monday night, as he wrapped up a Denver Broncos defender at the goal line to help out quarterback Patrick Mahomes on his 15-yard jaunt to the end zone for the Kansas City Chiefs' first touchdown.
Kelce made his confession on the New Heights podcast, which is a familiar source of football fodder from him during the season as he presents family entertainment with his brother Jason, who was a lineman with the Philadelphia Eagles. It's often a must-see pod during the season, and that was definitely the case this week.
“It was definitely a questionable play,” Kelce said in a report from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “That’s one of those where you get up slowly like, ‘Please don’t be any laundry on the field.’ I had the man up by his neck. Can’t do it. Can’t do it. Almost cost us.”
Indeed. It seemed obvious that Kelce wasn’t expecting Mahomes to take off, as he got caugth flat-footed at the goal line. Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga became aware that Mahomes was running before Kelce did, and it appeared Hufanga was in position to make a play on the quarterback.
Not so much, as it turned out. Kelce executed a wrestling move flawlessly, wrapping his arm around Hufanga’s chest and neck, then hanging on for his quarterback’s dear life. Mahomes dove betwen two defenders and made it to the end zone, and it sure looked like he would have taken a serious shot if Kelce had decided to take the high road and played clean.
“That would’ve been Patrick Mahomes’ second rushing touchdown called back in two plays, it was the same thing,” Kelce added . “That would’ve taken us out of the red zone. That was risky business. You know what? Sometimes you’re just living right.”
The official version of “living right” was that none of the officials on the field had a good view of the play, and offensive holding isn’t a reviewable play. The previous play he mentioned was a holding call against left tackle Kahlil Benson that did temporarily cost the Chiefs a touchdown.
But Kelce certainly made up for his near-mistake later in the day, as be broke free on a short throw from Mahomes to post a 60-yard gain that nearly went for a touchdown. Coach Andy Reid later joked that it was a pretty good play for an old man, but Kelce definitely got away with a hold on that early pivotal play.
