Travis Kelce's Response to Patrick Mahomes' Struggles and Conversation with Kadarius Toney
Travis Kelce shares insights on his lateral pass to Kadarius Toney and Patrick Mahomes' response to the penalty that nullified the play Gain exclusive details on this game-changing moment
Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Kadarius Toney. Getty Images (3)
Fans listening to Travis Kelce's "New Heights" podcast on Wednesday, December 13, didn't hear a birthday shout-out to Taylor Swift, but they did gain insight into the tight end's notable lateral pass. Jason Kelce, speaking to his 34-year-old brother, delved into the details of the pass, which occurred during the fourth quarter of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Buffalo Bills game on Sunday, December 10, where Travis threw the ball to Kadarius Toney after catching the first pass of the play from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Jason, 36, marveled, "How did you transition from securely holding the ball to launching a flawless spiral that quickly?"
Travis was impressed by his own ability to execute the play. "I spotted KT in a lateral position out of the corner of my eye — a position where I knew that if I could get the ball to him, he had the space to score a touchdown," he explained, saying that he thought the ball was "tipped" as it left his hands. "It was incredibly close, so don't expect me to do that every single game. I promise you guys. That was a little too close for comfort."
While Toney did score, the touchdown was reversed because the refs called a penalty for offensive offsides on the receiver. Mahomes subsequently had a meltdown on the sidelines, declaring the call as the “wildest f–king call” he’s ever seen. (Offensive offsides or being in the neutral zone has not been a common flag for refs to call in past NFL seasons, but the penalty has been called 11 times so far throughout the 2023 season.)
After the game at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills shared a reaction. Mahomes expressed his thoughts on the atmosphere, and Travis discussed the game with Jason, emphasizing the importance of making critical plays without relying on the referees' calls.
Travis praised Toney, expressing his confidence in his ability and emphasizing his importance to the team. He also defended Toney against criticism, while Jason observed that Mahomes remained fired up after the Chiefs' 20-17 loss.
Travis Kelce passionately appeals to umpire Tra Blake in the second quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The Eagles' center then summarized Mahomes' post-game press conference, where he passionately argued that the overturned call was unjust to Travis and his NFL legacy.
"I really appreciate Pat for speaking up," Travis stated. "Everyone is standing up for each other here. That's all that matters to me. If they get fined for what they said, that's fine, but at least the guys in this locker room know that we have each other's backs and we're all in this together, moving forward. We put our hearts into it, not just clocking in and out for a paycheck. These guys genuinely care, not just about the wins and losses, but about each other's well-being."
Travis concluded that the team is moving forward after two back-to-back defeats.
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"This will only motivate us to play harder and support each other even more. I'm grateful for Pat's words. I have great respect for Coach [Andy] Reid and the way he has our backs. But we need to figure out how to win in those close games no matter what. I'm most upset about how I ran my route on the 4th and 15 play."
The Kansas City Chiefs' upcoming game is against the New England Patriots on Sunday, December 17th at Gillette Stadium. It is uncertain if Swift, 34, who was present at the Chiefs' loss to the Bills, will attend the Patriots' game. However, a source informed us that Travis is ready to go all out for her 34th birthday on Wednesday.
