The Kansas City Chiefs came up short of their Super Bowl three-peat goals on Sunday, and the team's veteran tight end, Travis Kelce, is breaking his silence on the loss in the latest episode of his "New Heights" podcast.
"It's a tough pill to swallow. It's a hard reality," Kelce told his older brother and podcast co-host, retired Eagles star Jason Kelce. "It just wasn't our day. Couldn't find a lick of momentum."
NFL fans have questioned whether this might be the post-season where Travis Kelce contemplates hanging up his cleats. Without addressing any retirement rumors directly, he did reflect on what this game and season meant and off the field.
"I wasn't the best that I could be in motivating my guys and keeping my guys calm, cool and collected. And I put a lot of that on myself as, you know, the guy that's been in the building for 12 years and seen a lot of football and actually seen a situation just like this in the Super Bowl," Travis Kelce, 35, said.
After a few days to process it, Travis reflected on Super Bowl LIX
— New Heights (@newheightshow) February 12, 2025
Our Super Bowl recap episode premieres at 9:30am ET pic.twitter.com/dxhcSlvWS1
"I love my teammates, I love my coaches. Chiefs Kingdom, I'm sorry for how it ended. I have a beautiful life man," he continued. "I have loved ones, I have the most amazing family in the world that supports me in everything I do, and they were all there, cheering me on and hoping for the best on Sunday."
Travis Kelce's girlfriend and global superstar Taylor Swift was among his cheering squad all season, attending nearly every regular season game and both the AFC Championship and Super Bowl LIX.
"I wish I had made better decisions early on to help my guy, [Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes] ... and help my team find that momentum and that confidence," he added. "But you know, I just have to tip my hat to the Eagles."
"I know this sucks to talk about, I've been here," Jason Kelce said, adding that his brother still set an impressive new record on Sunday: most catches in Super Bowl history.
With four receptions on the night for 39 yards against the Eagles, Travis Kelce has notched a total 35 receptions in his combined Super Bowl appearances, edging out NFL great Jerry Rice, who had 33.
"You broke the most catches in Super Bowl history," said Jason Kelce, who played in two Super Bowls himself, earning a ring in 2018. "At the end of the day, it's just another thing that cements you as one of the best players ever to play in the NFL."
While it was "the last thing" Travis Kelce said he cares about at the moment, he thanked his brother for the vote of confidence.
