Travis Kelce opens up about what’s frustrated him most about Chiefs’ struggles
If you listen to the New Heights podcast on a regular basis, you know that Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce frequently uses the F-word.
That’s the cuss word, of course, and I can’t repeat it here.
But in the latest New Heights podcast episode, which was released Wednesday, Kelce used a different F word: Frustrating.
The Chiefs find themselves in an unusual spot. They have a 5-5 record, are in third place in the AFC West and ninth in the conference. Only seven teams make the playoffs.
Kelce’s brother, Jason, the ESPN analyst and former Eagles center, asked about the Chiefs’ 22-19 loss Sunday to the Broncos. Kelce’s answer included a diagnosis of what has discouraged him about how the season has unfolded.
“A bunch of flags all over the place, whether it was, procedural penalties, which is the ... most frustrating thing ever, or holding penalties, which some I’m here for,” Kelce said. “Others, I’m just like, ‘What are we even doing?’ And obviously putting up touchdowns instead of field goals, man.
“It’s frustrating because it’s got to the point where we’re 5-5, we’re 500 going into the back end of the schedule here. Got seven games left, and we’ve basically got to run the table. And I haven’t been in this situation in a long, long time, man.”
Kelce went deeper on what has been disheartening this season.
“And it’s even more frustrating knowing the kind of guys that we have, knowing the kind of talent that we have, knowing the type of coaches that we have, and everybody’s got to just kind of look themselves in the mirror,” he said. “You can’t sit around pointing fingers about whether it’s somebody missing a block here, somebody missing a catch here, play calls, whatever you go into mentally when you’re frustrated, you’ve got to kick that (stuff) aside, and you’ve got to think about how you’re going to ... attack the day.
“And you’ve got to put all the selfish (stuff), all the things that you want for yourself aside, and it’s just got to be about this team, about the guy next to you, and you’ve got to have fun doing it.”
Kelce then talked about the Chiefs’ next opponent, the Colts, who will be at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Indianapolis, 8-2, is leading the AFC South, and the Colts have the highest-scoring offense in the NFL.
“We’ve got a hell of a team coming in that’s firing on all cylinders, that looks like they’re getting after everybody in the run game and pass game, and we’re gonna have to put up ... points to help our defense,” Kelce said. “Last week, we didn’t do that. This week, it’s about time we put it together, man. We’ve seen what this train looks like when we’re rocking and rolling and we’re having fun, and we need to just get back to playing Chiefs football.”
‘A sense of urgency’
The Chiefs have been better this season in a number of statistical categories including points scored and points allowed compared with 2024. Yet, their record is significantly worse.
Kelce believes this year’s Chiefs team would beat last season’s.
“The answers are right in front of us,” Kelce said. “I said it. Their answers are right there. You turn on the film, you see what’s going on, you see where your strengths are, where your weaknesses are, and you keep getting better. And the concern isn’t with ‘Do we have the guys?’ The concern isn’t, ‘Do we have the coaches? Do we have the guys? Do we have the right people in the building?’ I have all the faith that we got the guys that we need. We just need to turn it up a notch, the accountability, the details. I’m right here raising my hand saying, ‘I need to get my (stuff) right.’
“And that should be the mentality of everybody that steps in this ... building and there needs to be a sense of urgency to get that ... done and to be proficient with how you’re getting it done. And I got a lot of faith in the guys in this building. I know I’m gonna go to war for them.”
The Chiefs were 11-0 in one-score games a year ago. This season, they are 0-5.
Jason Kelce asked his brother how the Chiefs need to improve to execute better late in games. The Chiefs led Sunday by three points and had the ball. But their final two offensive possessions were three-and-outs, and the Broncos followed them with field goals.
“I think just getting guys acclimated into the mindset that you have in those late moment games,” he said.
Jason Kelce noted that penalties, sacks and mistakes can derail a late-game drive.
“We had all of them, not only on that (penultimate) drive, but the drive after that,” Kelce said. “It was a little bit of everything. It was just, for whatever reason, we just aren’t in sync in those moments, and I don’t know if it’s having all of the guys healthy in these moments. It’s not effort. I can promise you that. You turn the film on, it’s not effort, man.
“It’s just getting the details right and focusing in on the task at hand, the play called, where we’re going offensive line wise, in terms of blocking, and then receivers wise, there’s a sense of urgency. We’ve got to ... get going. We got to run. We’ve got to make sure that we’re on time knowing Pat’s under duress.
