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Travis Kelce has broken his silence over his decision not to speak with the press following the Kansas City Chiefs’ elimination from the 2025-2026 playoffs — and it wasn’t because they lost.
Kelce, 36, addressed the drama surrounding him shutting down interviews on Sunday, December 14, telling reporters on Friday, December 19, that it was due to Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ injury.
“Yeah, I talked to him afterward. It was before the MRI,” Kelce explained during the Friday press conference, confirming that he briefly spoke with Mahomes, 30, following his ACL tear that occurred during Sunday’s loss.
The tight end added, “That’s why I kinda chose not to speak with the media right after that game.”
Kelce added that he has checked in with Mahomes — who is out for the rest of the season — since the injury.
“That’s my brother, I know everything he’s going through and all that. I just [want to] keep it personal,” he shared.
The Chiefs’ loss on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers made headlines for a variety of reasons — a few of which revolved around Kelce.
For starters, the team’s record for the 2025-2026 was brought to 6 and 8, which is a losing record, something that is rare for the Kansas City franchise.
Because of the loss, the Chiefs will play the remaining three games of their regular season schedule but won’t be in the playoffs, the first time since 2014.
During the game, Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury that was later confirmed as an ACL tear. He has since undergone surgery to repair the damage.
After the game concluded, Kelce was approached by the media for comment but he refused to engage — which is unlike the legendary athlete.
“Sorry guys, it’s not the time,” Kelce told reporters in the locker room on Sunday, according to ESPN. “I’ll catch you guys during the week.”
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce. Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Kelce sidestepping the press didn’t sit well with some people, including ESPN personality Chris Russo.
“How about Kelce on Sunday afternoon?” Russo, 66, said during the Wednesday, December 17, episode of ESPN’s First Take. “They just lost a game. Mahomes tears his ACL. The last play of the game [backup quarterback Gardner] Minshew goes to Kelce to try and kick a field goal. Intercepted. And Kelce, after he settles down in the locker room, he says, ‘Not today, fellas. I’m not going to talk to you.’”
Russo took issue with Kelce leaving the “poor guys who have been covering the Chiefs over the years” hanging.
“Every day for seven months they cover the football team and you blow them off at the end of this game when they got Mahomes out? Maybe the last game you’re ever gonna play [with him]? You can’t give them three words?” he quipped. “You can’t give them, ‘Terrible day for us, I don’t know what I’m going to do with my career? Hopefully Pat will be OK.’”
Russo argued that Mahomes going down was “a huge moment in Kansas City and NFL history” as it means next season for the team is also up in the air. (Depending on his recovery, Mahomes may not start the 2026-2027 season.)
“You blow everybody off walking off the field and you don’t talk to the press and you get in the car?” Russo added. “That is wrong. That is not the way to do things. You give them five minutes. Give them a couple of sentences for the Chiefs fans. Really down on him.”
Travis, meanwhile, later spoke about the game on his and brother Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast.
“We got three games left … the integrity of who you are as a professional, as a player, you gotta love this s***, man. And Chiefs Kingdom, we’re gonna give you everything we got. There’s no question about that,” he told listeners on Wednesday, December 17. “There’s only one way I do things, there’s only one way Coach Reid does things, and if we’re gonna go out there and play some football, we’re gonna do it the right way and keep trying to get these things fixed and end on the highest note we can.”
As Travis’ media snub made heads, the Chiefs’ losing season has also brought an onslaught of chatter about his future in the NFL back into the spotlight.
Travis has yet to announce whether he will retire after the current season, but he hinted he won’t make a decision until after the team’s final three games.
“I think I’d rather just keep the focus of the media and everything on this team right now,” Travis told reporters on Friday when asked whether he might’ve already played his last game with Mahomes. “All the conversations that I have with the team and everything moving forward will be with them.”
The NFL player — who is also planning a wedding to fiancée Taylor Swift — noted, “Unfortunately, I got three games left and I know when the season ends this year,” because they didn’t make the playoffs, calling it a “unique time” in his life.
