Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has emphatically denied rumors suggesting his team intentionally lost their Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos to keep the Cincinnati Bengals out of the NFL playoffs. The speculation, largely fueled by Bengals fans on social media, accused the Chiefs of avoiding a potential postseason matchup against a resurgent Cincinnati team.
Kelce, never one to shy away from addressing controversy, set the record straight during the Wednesday, Jan. 8 episode of his New Heights podcast, co-hosted with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
“I ain’t scared of f—ing nobody,” the 35-year-old star declared. “I wanted [the Bengals] in the f—ing playoffs. I want to slay every dragon one by one, like Mortal Kombat.”
Kelce doubled down on his desire to face the toughest competition in the postseason. “I don’t even want this to be like we play the lowest seed,” he said. “Just give me the best teams. AFC, NFC, give me all of them, Mortal Kombat-style. I’ll go through every … one of them. I ain’t scared of a single soul, man.”
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Chiefs’ Decision to Rest Starters Sparks Debate
The Chiefs entered their Week 18 matchup with the Broncos having already clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. With nothing on the line, Kansas City opted to rest key players, including Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The result was a lopsided 38-0 loss to Denver — a shocking outcome for a team that finished the regular season with a 15-2 record.
For Bengals fans, the timing of the Chiefs’ lackluster performance fueled conspiracy theories. Cincinnati entered Week 18 needing a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a New York Jets victory against the Miami Dolphins, and a Chiefs win over the Broncos to secure the AFC’s final playoff spot. While the Bengals and Jets held up their ends, Kansas City’s loss shut the door on Cincinnati’s postseason hopes.
Kelce Calls Out Critics
Kelce didn’t mince words when addressing those accusations. “I’ll play the [Bengals] in a Walmart parking lot,” he said. “I don’t give a s—. We can have our own game in the offseason where we really duke it out. Listen, I love competing against the greatest.”
Despite the frustration surrounding the situation, Kelce showed respect for the Bengals, who ended the season on a five-game winning streak but fell just short of the playoffs. “The Bengals were a fun-ass team to watch there towards the end of the season, and it’s a shame they didn’t make it in the playoffs,” Kelce said. “They would have made the playoffs that much crazier and that much more fun.”
Chiefs Ready for Postseason Battle
With their focus now on the postseason, the Chiefs are preparing for the divisional round, where they’ll begin their quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl title. Mahomes, Kelce, and the rest of Kansas City’s stars will have ample time to rest and strategize for the playoffs, set to kick off the weekend of Jan. 18-19.
As for Kelce, his message to the league and its fans remains clear: The Chiefs fear no one. “We’ll take on anybody, anywhere, anytime,” he said, leaving no doubt about the team’s mindset heading into the playoffs.
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