Travis Kelce turned away from reporters in the locker room after the Kansas City Chiefs' playoff hopes were dashed, a stark reminder of the team's first postseason absence in over ten years.
“Sorry guys, it’s not the time,” Kelce, 36, stated on December 14, as he brushed past the media, promising to reconnect later in the week.
The Chiefs fell to the Los Angeles Chargers with a close score of 16-13, sealing their fate for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
This season, Kelce has frequently avoided media interactions following defeats, including games against the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos earlier in December and November, respectively.
Instead of traditional press conferences, Kelce has opted for his “New Heights” podcast to address the challenges faced by the Chiefs this season, providing a more curated narrative.
On Sunday, fellow wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy exited the locker room before media access was granted, as reported by sources.
The atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium was somber, especially after quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL during the game’s final moments.
“Don’t know why this had to happen,” Mahomes, 30, expressed on social media post-game. “It hurts. But all we can do now is trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I will be back stronger than ever.”
An MRI confirmed Mahomes' injury, with the team announcing that he is “currently exploring surgical options.”
With many teammates opting out of media discussions, defensive tackle Chris Jones stepped up as the spokesperson during the postgame press conference.
“Success is rented every year,” Jones, 31, remarked. “Sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. I think we learned a lot this year.”
He continued, “We can be mad at ourselves and ask God why. But sometimes it’s a lesson along the journey. We’d be selfish to ask why right now. We need to understand it and build from it.”
Jones mentioned he had a brief moment with Mahomes after the game. “I just hugged him, man. That’s my brother. We’ve been through so much. We love Pat.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also addressed the media post-loss, taking responsibility for the outcome. “We weren’t quite good enough in all three phases,” Reid said. “That’s my responsibility to ensure these kinds of mistakes don’t happen. I’ll look in the mirror first on this.”
The Chiefs are set to return to action on December 21 against the Titans in Tennessee, with Gardner Minshew expected to take over as quarterback following Mahomes' injury.
