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Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Takes Blame After Week 16 Helmet-Throwing Incident

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 25: Tight end Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs enters the field during player introductions prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Image: Getty)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce delivered a detailed explanation for his helmet-throwing incident last weekend during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders. During a poor first half, Kelce threw his helmet on the sidelines and had to be reprimanded by head coach Andy Reid.

“[Reid] wanted to see the fire in me, and I reacted in a bad way,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast earlier this week. “And, right now, I’m just not playing my best football, and I gotta f—— lock the f— in, and be more accountable for him, be more accountable for my teammates. I gotta keep my f—– cool, man. As a leader on this team, that’s not how you switch the momentum.”

Kelce was not the only one to express his frustration Sunday, as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also spotted yelling at teammates after a scoreless first quarter. Kansas City went on to lose the game 20-14.

The Chiefs have lost three of their last four games, though they still hold a 9-6 record and will make the playoffs. The reigning Super Bowl champs have been visibly frustrated by the recent rough patch, complaining about referees and speaking out during press conferences.

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Kelce has not performed at his usual level either during this stretch and has not reached 100 yards since Week 7. The tight end also said on his podcast that he and his teammates had to take “more ownership” for their losses and regain momentum.

If the Chiefs do not gain the first seed in the AFC, they could eventually have to play in their first road playoff game of the Mahomes era. This is more of a testament to Mahomes’ success in five seasons as the team’s starter but also marks a rare point of regression for the star quarterback and Reid’s offense.

The Chiefs will finish the regular season in games against the Bengals and Chargers. Both teams have lost their starting quarterbacks to season-ending injuries, providing Mahomes and Kelce with ample opportunities to turn things around ahead of the postseason.