The Kansas City Chiefs ended their wait for a first win of the 2025 season as they overcame the New York Giants on Sunday, but star tight end Travis Kelce was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
Kelce was limited to just four catches for 26 yards as the Chiefs improved to 1-2 with a 22-9 victory at MetLife Stadium.
As was the case in the defeats to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, the Chiefs' offense sputtered for much of the game, and Kelce's biggest contribution to the spectacle had nothing to do with catching the ball.
Kelce was seen in a heated sideline exchange with head coach Andy Reid during the second quarter of a game in which the Chiefs were limited to six first-half points.
The situation for the offense mildly improved in the second half as a Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass to Tyquan Thornton and a one-yard run by Kareem Hunt made sure of the win.
Yet the spat between Reid and Kelce was understandably a hot topic after the game.
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Reid defends 'passionate' Kelce
Reid, though, indicated his back and forth with the 10-time Pro Bowler was of little importance, and defended the passion he displayed in that moment.
"I love Travis’s passion, so I’m OK with that," Reid told his post-game press conference.
"We didn’t have enough of it in the second quarter, we weren’t where we needed to be. He knows when to back off the pedal and he knows when to push it too. That’s part of what I love about him.
"The guy’s all-in. Just sometimes I have to be the policeman. He was all-in. He was all-in. Listen, he’s an emotional guy. He’s Irish.
Andy Reid chest bumping Travis Kelce is exactly what the Chiefs need. Love this pic.twitter.com/jFv8feU762
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) September 22, 2025
"Don’t make too much of it. He’s a passionate guy and I love that part. I’ve been through a lot of things with him so that’s all part of it. I love that he loves to play the game. That’s what I love. It’s an emotional game, so I’ll take it."
It was a familiar response from Reid, who was famously shoulder-checked by Kelce during the first half of Super Bowl 58 as the Kansas City offense struggled against the San Francisco 49ers. Kelce went on to have nine receptions for 93 yards as the Chiefs won the title in overtime.
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After the Super Bowl, Reid said of that interaction: "He caught me off balance. I wasn’t watching. He was really coming over [and saying], ‘Just put me in, I’ll score. I’ll score.’ So, that’s really what it was. I love that. It’s not the first time. I appreciate him."
The Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday in a blockbuster AFC clash in which Kelce will hope to have more of an impact on the field than on the sideline.
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