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Travis Kelce’s Reason for Denying Interview Emerges After Chiefs Loss
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- Travis Kelce’s Reason for Denying Interview Emerges After Chiefs Loss
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will not have a chance to win his fourth Super Bowl title this season. After a disappointing 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers combined with other results in Week 15, Kansas City was officially eliminated from NFL playoff contention.
Kelce finished the game with seven receptions for 70 yards, but the Chiefs fell short on the final drive when backup quarterback Gardner Minshew had to come in to replace an injured Patrick Mahomes .
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There were plenty of topics that reporters wanted to discuss with Kelce in the locker room at Arrowhead Stadium, but he denied their interview requests.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87).
It was the second home game in a row Kelce refused to answer questions after a loss. However, he was happy to crack jokes about Mahomes in the locker room after their most recent win at home, a Nov. 23 game against the Indianapolis Colts .
The decision by the Chiefs captain on Sunday left other players to answer questions on key topics coming out of the game like Mahomes' injury , Kelce's gesture toward a Chargers player and how their playoff elimination may affect his NFL future .
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According to The Athletic's Jesse Newell, here is the reason Kelce gave.
"It's not the time," Kelce said. "I'll catch you guys during the week."
It is unclear whether or not "during the week" referred to the Chiefs' regularly scheduled media availabilities or Kelce's weekly podcast, " New Heights ."
In the wake of the Chiefs' 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans last week, Kelce did not make any public comments about his performance — one catch for eight yards and a critical dropped pass in the fourth quarter — until an episode of "New Heights" came out on Wednesday. He did not participate in any of the team's three media sessions throughout the week.
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Kelce's decisions to decline interviews after losses have led to debate on social media. Some people justify his choices by pointing out that his words tend to get taken out of context and twisted by the media. Critics see his silence as a refusal to take accountability , pointing to his willingness to speak after wins to support their argument.
Debriefing Chiefs games with his brother, Jason Kelce , on their edited podcast gives the star tight end a way to shape the narrative, for better or for worse.
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By explaining his decision on Sunday, Kelce made his intentions clearer. With Mahomes' injury status unknown and Kelce facing the hard truth that he will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014, it is easy to see why he felt it was "not the time."
Related: Travis Kelce's Gesture After Ejection in Chiefs Game
Related: Patrick Mahomes Makes Admission on Travis Kelce's NFL Future After Chiefs' Loss
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
