Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid broke his silence after he and Travis Kelce had a heated altercation during their game against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 21.
After Reid, 67, and Kelce, 35, had an intense exchange on the sidelines during the second quarter of the game, fans quickly noticed the moment when it was caught on film and it went viral. While many people weren’t pleased with how Kelce spoke to his coach, Reid insisted there were no hard feelings.
“I love Travis’ passion, man,” Reid told reporters following the game, per Us Weekly. “I’m OK with that. We didn’t have enough of it in the second quarter. It wasn’t where we needed it to be, so, within reason, he knows when to back off the pedal and knows when to push it, too.”
Reid continued, “That’s the part I love about him. The guy is all-in. Sometimes, I have to be the policeman. He’s an emotional guy.”
He went on to defend Kelce by telling everyone to not “make too much of it.”
“He’s a passionate guy, and I love that part,” Reid said of the tight end, who has played on the Chiefs since 2013. “I’ve been through a lot of things with him. That’s all part of it. I love that he loves to play the game. That’s what I love. It’s an emotional game, so I’ll take it.”
The team’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, also reflected on the heated exchange, telling reporters to not make the moment bigger than it needed to be.
“He’s a guy that loves it,” Mahomes, 30, said of Kelce. “That’s what’s made him so great. I know they love each other. That’s what you want out of the greats.”
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The recent game, which the Chiefs ultimately won, was not the first time Reid and Kelce exchanged a heated moment on the sidelines. During Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, Kelce grabbed Reid by the arm and screamed at him after he was briefly pulled from the game.
Similar to his recent reaction, Reid said the moment wasn’t a big deal. “He caught me off balance,” he told reporters following the 2024 championship game. “Normally I’d give him a little bit [back], but I didn’t have [my] feet under me.”
“He was really coming over [and saying], ‘Just put me in, I’ll score. I’ll score,'” Reid added at the time. So, that’s really what it was. I love that. It’s not the first time. I appreciate him.”
