‘Tough reality to be in’: Travis Kelce frustrated with Chiefs’ position as they face tough playoff climb
Sorry that John had to talk to me. Birthday man. Fire away. Trevor, you talked with your brother about um saying this year’s team in your eyes could be better than last year’s team expand on what you meant by saying that I think uh. The chemistry how together we are, how much we’re we’re willing to fight for each other, um, I think it’s not *** matter of effort it’s all just execution, um, and you know we’re in here every single day grinding our tails off, uh, trying to get that fixed and, uh, you know, you feel it from the coaches they’re tightening things up *** little bit so that we focus on those details and so we could play fast and uh and and you know play with *** purpose and. Uh, outside of that, I think the chemistry of this team is, uh, is one of the most fun teams I’ve been on in *** while. You mentioned this team. Uh, it’s *** lot of guys that only know Super Bowl or AFC championship game, right? They only know when and you’ve been in *** situation where you know lost *** few games before. What’s, what’s the mindset like and what’s your, I guess, your, uh, what do you say to those guys? Well, I don’t know, I think, uh. Every season is different, right? Adversity hits you in different ways every single year and um, you know, the ups and downs of the of the season kind of mold you as *** group. So not to say that these guys don’t know how to fight through anything, it’s just, um, you know, you gotta get you have to understand that you know just that every single season is different and that you know our obstacles are gonna be different and sometimes it’s uh. It’s just *** matter of week in week out, you know, being able to recharge, refocus even after *** big time loss or *** piled up *** couple of losses and things like that like you gotta find ways to to fight through that, you know, the energy may be different, uh, dealing with adversity in previous years than than it is this year and it’s just, uh, you gotta make sure that you’re coming into the building with the right mindset and you know, um, if, if those, if losses do pile up on you, man, you gotta have *** sense of urgency and, uh, that kinda. I don’t go into *** shell, but you just gotta come in, uh, chest up and and ready to to handle business, man. Do you, uh, try this, we, we all know how the season started with guys being banged up and not having everybody together, at least on the offense, but over the course of the year, have you seen defenses approach you guys slightly differently now? Um, I think, uh, in general, I think we’re uh We’re getting uh *** *** different version of every team’s defense for sure and it’s just it’s just how you, I feel like teams feel they need to attack us defensively you know we’re uh we’re *** veteran group um on the offensive side in terms of Pat being being able to do it and, um, and Coach Reed’s ability to scheme guys up so it’s just, you know, we’re getting different, uh, looks here and there, but, um, you know, I think the coaches are doing *** great job of giving us looks throughout the week that that have us prepared for anything. And uh giving us plays that we can go out there and make happen uh no matter what they’re calling so um not trying to make it seem like you, you never worked out until this offseason but you obviously put in particular work this offseason. Are you seeing it pay off now as much as it did maybe earlier in the season me working out uh all offseason. Um, is *** huge reflection of our team being *** lot healthier than we were last year in the wide receiver room. I think what you’re seeing is, is I’m *** product of my environment right now, um, and, uh, I’m just trying to go out there and, and. Everything is, you know, predicated off of, off of, you know, how the offensive line does how the guys around us do, and, um, and, and obviously the chemistry me and Pat have been able to accumulate over the years, but, um, I think this year is just, you know, every year is different you gotta kind of attack it differently I think. In terms of athleticism and and where I feel in terms of health right now I feel like uh the offseason definitely helped me uh to at least get *** head start on um some of the wear and tear so it’s just uh the body feels better but I think uh the production wise, you know, um, our offense in general uh is having *** better season than it was last year so. Uh, *** lot more weapons, man. Travis Patrick said he didn’t like being 55, but he was excited to see what was gonna happen from here on out, I guess I’m every single day we come into this building, man, there’s still *** chance I’m, uh, I’m fighting, man, and, um, I think right now it’s uh it’s *** different season than than we’ve had, uh, really in the sense I can remember and um with that being said, it’s, you know. Every single day is *** new challenge, and I love that. I love that opportunity. We get *** great football team that’s playing amazing on both offense and defensive, uh, sides of the football. They got *** great run game pass game, playmakers all over the field. So and then defensively they’re very stout and uh they’re getting one of our one of our uh ex-Super Bowl winners, Tarvarius back this week. So, uh, it’s only gonna make our job *** little bit harder and we just gotta focus, man and. Um, but I got all the faith in the world and everybody in this building and, uh, you know, going out there and finding *** way to get *** win this weekend. I could take you back *** few weeks. I don’t think we got to ask you this after the game against the commanders, but that was *** game where you caught *** touchdown to tie Priest Holmes and. There’s *** moment where I think you dropped the ball and Patrick goes and gets it and makes sure that you uh get to keep that. Just what does it say about him and what was that moment like for you when you realized he did that gesture for? He’s he’s he’s been known to uh make sure that guys get those uh memorable, uh, or the memorabilia that uh, that’s, you know, could be personal to them down the road, but, um, yeah, that’s just, uh, it’s one of those things Pat’s good good about his his his awareness is crazy you know when guys are getting their first touchdown or when they’re getting there. Eighty-Fourth or whatever it was I got um so yeah he’s uh he’s unbelievable with stuff like that it’s just another reason why he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. Have you had time to reflect on actually being the the record holder now? No. Trying to win *** football game this week. Travis, you’re obviously not under contract for next season the way you feel right now is what, what are your thoughts about that and just timeline wise when would you want to talk to the Chiefs about whether you’re coming back or getting *** new contract? I think, um, you know, seeing my brother go through it and seeing, uh, I don’t know, just how the league works, you know, the season kind of restarts in April and. Uh, I wanna give the Chiefs *** good opportunity to, you know, whether I come back or not and vice versa, like whether they want me back or not, it’s, it’s one of those things where I’d like to make that decision before, uh, they gotta get draft picks and the free agency open so that it gives them an opportunity to go out there and, and, uh, fill the roster appropriately. So, um, all that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then. On that note, would you rather, you know, like go out because some guys wanna do like the Kobe tour, right? Um, that’s something that you, I love Kobe, man. I love Kobe. I love, uh, I love everything about him, man, um, but that’s not me. I, I, I like to take it day by day. Year by year and and and and just evaluate it like that, have you seen from Tyler Warren tight end is there anything about his game that you like and is there anything that he does that reminds him of what you were? I don’t know, man. He’s, he’s *** big dude coming out of Penn State, man. He’s ***, he’s an absolute force and uh you can see why he’s he’s got ***. *** lot of success early. He’s got how he, how he ran with the ball when he was in college, his his feel for zones, his, his ability to go up and make *** catch over top of everybody, um, just *** big, uh, big target out there, man, um, and I’m, I’m excited for his future, but hopefully we can hold him to *** few yards to say this week right now, can we go guys.
‘Tough reality to be in’: Travis Kelce frustrated with Chiefs’ position as they face tough playoff climb
Updated: 3:39 PM CST Dec 10, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce spoke about this season’s struggles after Sunday’s loss at home pushed the team’s playoff chances further out of reach. Video above — Nov 21 media availability: Travis Kelce talks current season struggles, thought process on the end of his contractThe Chiefs fell 20-10 against the Houston Texans in a game full of offensive slip-ups, including missed fourth-down attempts and dropped passes, one by Kelce in particular. “I feel like I’ve always had the answers in years past, and this year I just can’t find them,” Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast. “You put in all this work to, you know, be there for your guys, and I just wasn’t that.” Kelce said he will keep playing to the best of his ability, even if the chances of Kansas City seeing the postseason are slim. “It’s all that I can do,” he said. “I’m going to always show up to work and f****** give it my all. And if there’s a game to be played, I’m going to f****** make it the most important game of the world. But obviously, looking at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in.” But while he and the Chiefs might not be throwing in the towel, Kelce acknowledged that it will take more than just winning for them to make it. “We got four games left. I’ll go put my f****** heart on the line for these guys because they deserve that,” he said. “Chiefs Kingdom, you guys deserve that. … We don’t necessarily control our own destiny at this point. We need some things to happen outside of us winning all our games. So that’s all you can do.” His brother and cohost, Jason, showed his support for Kelce. A former football star himself, he said that sometimes, it seems, things just do not go according to plan.“I think sometimes the ball just doesn’t fall your way,” Jason said. “And you guys have had the epitome of that this year.” As the Chiefs prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium, a rematch of Week 1, Kelce said they will have to improve how they perform in “critical situations.” That means blocking, making catches and scoring touchdowns. “We’re going to have our hands full,” Kelce said. You can watch the full episode of “New Heights” here:
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce spoke about this season’s struggles after Sunday’s loss at home pushed the team’s playoff chances further out of reach.
Video above — Nov 21 media availability: Travis Kelce talks current season struggles, thought process on the end of his contract
The Chiefs fell 20-10 against the Houston Texans in a game full of offensive slip-ups, including missed fourth-down attempts and dropped passes, one by Kelce in particular.
“I feel like I’ve always had the answers in years past, and this year I just can’t find them,” Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast. “You put in all this work to, you know, be there for your guys, and I just wasn’t that.”
Kelce said he will keep playing to the best of his ability, even if the chances of Kansas City seeing the postseason are slim.
“It’s all that I can do,” he said. “I’m going to always show up to work and f****** give it my all. And if there’s a game to be played, I’m going to f****** make it the most important game of the world. But obviously, looking at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in.”
But while he and the Chiefs might not be throwing in the towel, Kelce acknowledged that it will take more than just winning for them to make it.
“We got four games left. I’ll go put my f****** heart on the line for these guys because they deserve that,” he said. “Chiefs Kingdom, you guys deserve that. … We don’t necessarily control our own destiny at this point. We need some things to happen outside of us winning all our games. So that’s all you can do.”
His brother and cohost, Jason, showed his support for Kelce. A former football star himself, he said that sometimes, it seems, things just do not go according to plan.
“I think sometimes the ball just doesn’t fall your way,” Jason said. “And you guys have had the epitome of that this year.”
As the Chiefs prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium, a rematch of Week 1, Kelce said they will have to improve how they perform in “critical situations.” That means blocking, making catches and scoring touchdowns.
“We’re going to have our hands full,” Kelce said.
You can watch the full episode of “New Heights” here:
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