The NFL star acknowledge his sidelines behavior was “definitely unacceptable.”
The Kansas City Chiefs just won their second straight Super Bowl on Sunday, and we’re still talking about the game — but it’s less about their victory over the San Fransisco 49ers than what happened on the sidelines.
The game, which went into overtime, was incredibly nerve-racking, and it appeared to even get to the players. In a now-viral clip, tight end Travis Kelce was seen shoving his 65-year-old coach Andy Reid and yelling in his face in response to his team’s on-field fumble.
Following backlash over the altercation, the football star admitted he went too far and expressed regret for his actions. “It’s definitely unacceptable,” Kelce told his brother and co-host Jason Kelce on the “New Heights” podcast Wednesday.
Still, the intense moment sparked an online debate. While some viewers called for Kelce to apologize for his actions, others reacted with memes poking fun at the situation. So we took a closer look at what happened and why some see the player’s actions during the game as a red flag.
Why did Travis Kelce yell at his coach during the Super Bowl?
The short answer is Kelce was irate over the Chiefs’ running back Isiah Pacheco fumbling the ball. After the failed play, Kelce was caught on camera grabbing Reid by the arm, nearly causing the 65-year-old to lose his balance. Kelce’s teammate Jerick McKinnon had to intervene to drag him away from his coach.
Reid later revealed that Kelce was trying to get back in the game. Speaking to ESPN, Reid explained, “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.”
This is not the first time Kelce has stirred up controversy. In 2016 alone, he was fined $24,309 for “unsportsmanlike conduct” after throwing a towel at a referee over a close call during a game against the Jaguars.
What have Travis Kelce and Coach Reid said about the incident?
Both Kelce and Reid immediately brushed off the yelling. When asked about it after the game, the tight end explained that he was “fired up that we weren’t hitting on all cylinders.”
Similarly, Reid was quick to joke about what happened and said he appreciated the passion of his team. “He keeps me young,” Reid said, referring to Kelce. “He loves to play the game and he loves to help his team win. It’s not a selfish thing.”
But on Wednesday’s podcast, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce told his brother that he “crossed the line” and that his behavior was “not acceptable.” Travis agreed, saying, “I can’t get that fired up to the point where I’m bumping coach and it’s getting him off balance and stuff.”
Kelce added that Reid’s calm handling of the incident fired him up even more to go out and help his team defeat the 49ers in a thrilling overtime victory. “So Big Red, sorry if I caught you with that cheap shot baby,” Kelce joked.
What are fans saying about Travis Kelce’s sideline outburst?
Despite the Chiefs’ victory, some NFL fans weren’t impressed by Kelce’s aggressive treatment of Reid, and he was criticized for his lack of respect for the veteran coach.
Though Kelce is already one of the NFL’s biggest stars, his fame has reached even bigger heights since he started dating Taylor Swift last year — which has also brought a new wave of attention to the game. Several of Swift’s fans who tuned in voiced concern about the incident and called on the pop star to dump him over the scuffle. “Do we need to be scared for Taylor’s safety?,” one user said on X. “Red flag,” agreed another. Non-Swifies have expressed similar alarm, saying Travis’ attitude was a prime example of toxic masculinity.
That said, some of Kelce’s fellow athletes have come to his defense, including former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. “I think a lot of the things that are said during the games, people should just let them fly off their backs,” he said during an episode of SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.”
