Travis Kelce on his fight alongside Ravens K Justin Tucker before the game: “He was poking the bear.”
Justin Tucker and Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, joined the heated debate about where the team’s kicker could do his pregame routine.
On the latest “New Heights” podcast via his brother Jason, Travis Kelce gave his two cents. The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17–10 on Sunday to move on to Super Bowl LVIII.
While he and Kelce were getting ready, Mahomes was seen kicking Tucker’s ball holder out of his path more than once.
Tucker put his helmet along with two balls back near the goal line in the same spot. Kelce then walked over and threw everything to the side to make room for Mahomes.
No matter what their plans were, Mahomes or Kelce were not in the mood for any pregame nonsense. As Jason Kelce said during the podcast, Tucker’s shift did bother the offensive leaders of the Chiefs, but probably not in the way he meant.
He went on to complete 30 out of 39 passes to feed 241 yards and a touchdown. Kelce had another of his best games of the season, catching 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
On Wednesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Kelce said that Tucker would have been “1,000%” flagged for taunting after missing the 43-yard field goal that would have shortened the Chiefs’ lead to 17-10.
Travis Kelce said that Justin Tucker broke an “unwritten rule” by stretching and putting his gear where Patrick Mahomes was getting loose.
He also said that the kicker for the Baltimore Ravens was “poking the bear” beforehand the AFC Championship Game.
“You keep your helmet, football, and kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up if you want to be an f—ing d— about it.”
“If you’re unwilling to pick which up, I’ll be happy to move it for you,” Kelce said on his podcast with his brother Jason Kelce on Wednesday.
The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17–10 on Sunday, and video shows Mahomes hurling Tucker’s kicking tee as well as Kelce kicking the kicker for Baltimore’s footballs and tossing his helmet out of the way where Mahomes had been warming up.
Because of wind and various other weather conditions, kickers and punters can work in both sides of the field. But Kelce told them to stay away from other players when they go to the other side.
“Justin came out and he said it’s more of a joking gesture as well as kind of a fun, competitive [move] but I get it,” said Kelce.
“He was winking at me, acting a d—, and trying to get to me.” We were not in the mood to joke around. We were poised to go after it.
Monday, Mahomes said that Tucker was the only kicker in NFL history who has broken these unwritten rules. Kelce talked about how the teams usually warm up before a game. Each team gets half of the playing area to use.
“I’ve done that same warm-up routine for seven years, and there have only been about three times when a kicker wasn’t… moving out the way,” Mahomes told Kansas City radio station KCSP.
Mahomes said he believed Tucker was trying “to penetrate under our skin” and that he “was going to allow it slide, however, Travis moved it for me.” “It was in Baltimore all three times.”
Tucker said on Monday that he thought what happened before the game was “gamesmanship” and “all in good fun.”
But Kelce and she caught a Mahomes touchdown pass from 19 yards out on Kansas City’s first drive, said Tucker’s actions could have had results.
The Pro Bowl tight end told Justin, “I’m sorry if we took it to something you didn’t think it would get to.” “But if you continue to be a jerk, I can always beat you….” Please don’t make me the bad guy. He stuck the bear with a stick.
Travis Kelce said that Justin Tucker broke an “unwritten rule” from stretching and putting his gear where Matthew Stafford was getting loose.
He also said that the kicker for the Baltimore Ravens was “poking the animal” before the AFC Championship Game.
The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17–10 on Sunday, and the video shows Mahomes throwing Tucker’s kicking tee and Kelce kicking the kicker for Baltimore’s footballs and throwing his helmet out of the way where Mahomes was warming up.