Travis Kelce explains pregame spat with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, left, and Ravens’ Justin Tucker. (AP)
The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end addressed what happened when he tossed some of Tucker’s equipment off the field on Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast.
“Everybody talked about it, everybody had videos on it, it was all over Twitter,” Jason Kelce told his brother.
“I love how I’m getting painted as the bad guy for this,” Travis responded about the aftermath of the incident. “Oh, you’re definitely getting painted as the bad guy,” Jason agreed.
Travis explained the “unwritten rule” that Tucker broke before the spat.
“For those of you that don’t know what happens in pre-games, the Ravens have their side of the field and the Chiefs have our side of the field,” he said. “It’s always — if you’re trying to go onto the other team’s designated area, you kinda stay out of their way.”
Travis continued, “If you wanna be a f—ing d–k about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f—ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up.”
After Jason noted where Tucker left the equipment was “actually kinda dangerous,” Travis agreed adding, “If you’re not gonna pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.”
Tucker addressed the incident telling a reporter it was “all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun.”
Kelce wasn’t having any of it, though. “Justin came out and he said it was more of a joking gesture … and I get it, he was kinda winking at me, being a d–k about it, trying to get under the skin,” Travis said.
“I get it, but me and Pat… We’ve been having the same mentality for this game all week long, man. And it was a, you gotta go in there and have the right mind frame. Have the right mindset. And we just weren’t in a joking mood. We were ready to get after it.”
And that’s exactly what Kelce and his team did that night, securing the victory and gaining their ticket to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas where the Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers.
Kelce says going to the Super Bowl feels “a bit sweeter” than it did last year.
“This road to where we are now has been more of a challenge which means you have to overcome more which means it kinda means a little bit more.”
