Travis Kelce isn’t in the mood for excuses after the Kansas City Chiefs were handed their first loss of the season — and doesn’t want to hear any from his teammates, either.
The Chiefs continued their regular-season difficulties against the Buffalo Bills, losing 30-21 in Orchard Park on Sunday. The Bills hounded quarterback Patrick Mahomes, forcing interceptions on his first pass of the day and his last pass, while keeping Kelce in check.
The loss dropped the Chiefs to 9-1, giving the Bills an opening to make a run at the No. 1 overall seed.
Speaking on his “New Heights” podcast, the team’s All-Pro tight end said his team needed to rise to the occasion and can’t make excuses about why they lost.
“I don’t give a [expletive] how your body is feeling, I don’t give a [expletive] where your mentality is off the field,” Kelce said. “When you step into that building, we are here to figure [expletive] out. We are here to get better as football players for the football team. ”
Though the Chiefs remain atop the AFC and have a two-game lead in their division, Kelce warned that his teammates needed to adopt a tougher mentality going forward — and said he would be leading the way.
“That is a mentality going forward that everybody has to be a part of — top-down, myself included,” Kelce said. “I have to be the leader I’ve been in the past and hold myself accountable so everybody sees how it’s done.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks on next to tight end Travis Kelce (87) before a preseason NFL football game. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Chiefs could be getting some breaks for the home stretch of the season. Running back Isiah Pacheco is close to returning from injured reserve and could be in the lineup against the Carolina Panthers this weekend.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised Pacheco for the work he put in to return from a fractured fibula.
“He’s a spark plug now, emotionally,” Reid said, via Reuters. “He’s something that way and he’s worked his tail off to get to the point that he’s at now. We’ve got to keep an eye on him that way. He would have played three weeks ago if he had his choice, but that’s sometimes how it goes. I appreciate that mentality. That’s what’s helped him get to this point.”
