Andy Reid also disagreed with holding call, but more diplomatically than Travis Kelce

Not that it matters, but coach Andy Reid disagreed with the holding call on offensive tackle Eric Fisher that cost the Chiefs a tie score in their 18-16 loss to the Steelers on Sunday night in an AFC Divisional playoff game.

“I know Fish is going to have a lot of eyes on him for that call,” Reid said Monday. “I’m not sure I completely agree with what took place. But the call was made and we live with that.

“There are certain things you agree with and don’t agree with during games. It really doesn’t matter now that we’re sitting here. I don’t want to be fined, but I was leaning the other way. I think Fish did what he needed to do on that particular block to get that done.

“The problem is when people slip, you make it look worse than it is.”

The play occurred on a two-point conversion with 2:47 remaining after Spencer Ware’s 1-yard touchdown run cut the Chiefs’ deficit to two.

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith found tight end Demetrius Harris in the back of the end zone. But holding was called on Fisher against the Steelers’ James Harrison. On the second two-point attempt, this time from the 12, Smith thew an incomplete pass, which helped seal the Chiefs’ loss.

Several Chiefs voiced their displeasure with the call after the game, none more emotionally than tight end Travis Kelce, who said of referee Carl Cheffers’ call: “(He) shouldn’t be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again. He shouldn’t even be able to work at (freaking) Foot Locker.”

Asked if playoff games are called looser in the regular season, Reid, who has led 12 of his 18 teams in Kansas City and Philadelphia to the postseason, said that’s been his experience.

“Yeah, they normally let you play, especially in key situations like that,” Reid said. “They normally just let it roll.

“But listen, we had plenty of opportunities before that. I don’t want to use that as an excuse by any means.”

Still, because of that play and several others that sent the Chiefs to defeat, players spent Monday packing their belongings and moving out of the locker room.

The team will hang a banner in its practice facility for winning the AFC West, but the Chiefs, who finished 12-4 and earned a bye into the divisional round and a playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium, believed they were destined to play more football.

It didn’t take long for them to come to grips with the disappointment.

“You know the season is over, it doesn’t have to sink in after the clock says 0:00,” defensive lineman Chris Jones said. “It sunk in right there.”

Safety Ron Parker said there “wasn’t a great feeling in the building,” but he spent time detailing the accomplishments.

“We have our heads up,” Parker said. “We had great season, we just came up a little short.”

Running back Spencer Ware called it one of his best years in football. He led the Chiefs in rushing, getting the bulk of the attempts when Jamaal Charles could only play in a handful of games because of a knee injury.

Now, the Chiefs will have a decision to make with Charles, who has one more year of his contract and will carry a $7 million salary-cap number into next season. The Chiefs will need to find ways to reduce their payroll for 2017 and releasing Charles, who has played in eight games over the past two seasons, could be an option.

This story was originally published January 16, 2017 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Andy Reid also disagreed with holding call, but more diplomatically than Travis Kelce."