The Kansas City Chiefs had their top spot in the AFC locked up before their Week 18 matchup with the Denver Broncos took place. Does that mean that Kansas City intentionally lost?
Travis Kelce Wants To Compete With the Best
When Travis Kelce was asked on his podcast “New Heights” if the Chiefs lost to the Broncos intentionally, Kelce was adamant that he is not “scared of a single soul” and that he wants to face off with the best.
Kelce stars alongside his brother, and Super Bowl Champion lineman, Jason Kelce on their podcast “New Heights,” and they air new episodes weekly.
To bring the topic to the surface, Jason said, “There’s some people alleging that it was a purposeful letting get your a** kicked,” to which Travis interrupted Jason passionately and denied the claim.
“I wanted ’em in the playoffs,” Travis said, “I want to slay every dragon one by one, like Mortal Kombat, I don’t even want it this to be we play the lowest seeds. AFC, NFC give me all of ’em.”
#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce wasn’t having it when asked about claims that they intentionally lost on Sunday to keep the Bengals out of the playoffs:pic.twitter.com/Khanp8fvyg
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 8, 2025
Jason then suggested that the reason that they would have lost intentionally would be to avoid playing Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs at “Burrowhead.” This is a reference to the fact that the Bengals came into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs, marking the only time in the last five seasons that Kansas City did not represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
“I’ll play ’em at the Walmart parking lot,” Travis replied. “We can have our own game in the offseason.”
Now wouldn’t that be something?
He then closed the segment out saying the Bengals’ late-season run was “fun to watch” and that he wants to “compete against the greatest.” Maybe the Bengals will carry their momentum into next year and the people can get this matchup.
Was There a Reason for Concern?
Does anybody actually think that the 15-2 Chiefs were concerned with a team that didn’t make the playoffs?
The Bengals are a fun team and seem like the ideal team to play with in Madden, with an elite quarterback and the league’s stats leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns as their top option and the sack title winner on the other side.
But even then, there would have to be moves made to fill the glaring holes that caused the slow start, including a loss in Week 1 to the New England Patriots. A reversed result would have benefitted both teams immensely.
If the Bengals won that game, the Patriots would have the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Bengals might still be playing.
But this isn’t just any team facing these accusations, this is the greatest dynasty that is currently running in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs. They are back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions, who have played in four of the last five Super Bowls, winning three of them and establishing themselves among the all-time great teams with Patrick Mahomes and Kelce at the front of it all.