Winning goes a long way to smoothing over any conflict, but Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and tight end Travis Kelce both took a positive attitude toward a feisty moment on the sidelines during Sunday’s Super Bowl.
That moment, which followed Isiah Pacheco fumbling the ball in the red zone during the first quarter, occurred when Kelce ran up to Reid and bumped into him, yelling at him about not being on the field for several key moments on the drive.
The bump set social media on fire, with many comments critical of Kelce’s actions, but Reid said that it was simply a matter of being caught off-balance by a competitive player during the biggest game of the year.
“He came over and gave me a hug and said ‘sorry about that,’” Reid said in an interview with ESPN. “He wants to be on the field and he wants to play. There’s nobody I get better than I get him. He’s a competitive kid, he loves to play, and he makes me feel young.”
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Kelce ultimately led the Chiefs with nine receptions for 93 yards as they defeated the 49ers 25-22 in an overtime thriller.
The tight end, whose fame has skyrocketed thanks to his “New Heights” podcast and his relationship with music superstar Taylor Swift, spoke emotionally about Reid’s impact on his career following the game.
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“I’ve got the greatest coach this game has ever seen,” he said. “He’s one of the best leaders of men I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s helped me a lot with that, channeling that emotion and channeling that passion. I owe my entire career to that guy.”
Reid and Kelce have now won three Super Bowls together, including the last two title games.
Reid insisted that the bump was not a big deal, and that normally he’s able to deliver a push right back when talking with his players.
“He keeps me young. He tested that hip out,” he said with a laugh. “He caught me off-balance. Normally I get him back a bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me.”
