(NEW ORLEANS) — Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes opened up on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl defeat and Kelce’s future after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22 on Sunday night.
“There’s a lot that goes into it. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said, speaking to reporters after game.
“Couldn’t get it going offensively. I mean they just got after us on all three phases — and then on top of that, turnovers, penalties,” the Chiefs tight end explained.
He added that in his eyes, the most surprising element of the game was “that we haven’t played that bad all year.”
Kelce highlighted a bright spot for the Chiefs, noting their late game push. “This team is going to fight ’till the end forever, and you saw that, even with the score late, we’re always going to fight,” he said.
The three-time Super Bowl champion said Chiefs coach Andy Reid delivered a teaching moment to the team after the game. He said Reid’s message was, “This one’s gonna hurt. Let it hurt, and figure out how to get better because of it.”
Mahomes talks Kelce’s potential retirement, Super Bowl loss
Star quarterback Mahomes, meanwhile, discussed Kelce’s future while speaking with reporters after the game.
When asked if he would begin to encourage Kelce to come back to the Chiefs next year for his 13th NFL season, Mahomes said he would be patient with his teammate.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own, man,” Mahomes said. “He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy not only for me to work with, but for people to watch.”
He continued, “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. You can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moments.”
Mahomes said the decision will come down to whether his teammate still wants to put in the hard work to get through another NFL season.
“It’s if he wants to put in that grind, cause it’s a grind to go out there and play 20 games.”
Mahomes added that no matter Kelce’s decision, he believes his teammate’s legacy is secure as a Hall of Fame player.
“He knows, he’ll come back here with welcome arms. We love that guy not only for the football player, but the person that he is every single day,” he said.
Kelce speculated on his own future at a press conference last week in New Orleans.
“Where will I be in three years? Oh man, I don’t know. Hopefully still playing football. I love doing this. I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still got a lot of good football left in me. But, we’ll see what happens,” he said, adding that he’s explored other career options in the offseasons because “football only lasts for so long.”
In his postgame interview, Mahomes called losing a Super Bowl “the worst feeling in the world” and said the feeling “will stick with you the rest of your career.”
He added that he will use the loss as motivation moving forward.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.