TRAVIS KELCE SALUTED Kansas City Chiefs boss Andy Reid as the “greatest coach” in NFL history on Sunday as both men played down their stormy Super Bowl bust-up.
Kelce blew his top at Reid on the sidelines in the second quarter of the Chiefs’ thrilling 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers at the Allegiant Stadium.
The flashpoint came after Isiah Pacheco fumbled in a promising attacking situation for Kansas City as the Chiefs tried to claw their way back into the game.
The 6ft 5in (1.96m), 250-pound (113 kg) Kelce looked wild-eyed with anger as he confronted Reid in apparent frustration at not being put on the field for the play in question.
Kelce, with superstar pop-star girlfriend Taylor Swift looking on from a VIP suite, bumped the 65-year-old Reid, who stumbled backwards briefly before regaining his footing.
Afterwards, Kelce paid tribute to Reid, who he has often described as a mentor. Reid drafted Kelce in 2013 despite a suspension for marijuana use in college that had deterred other suitors.
“I’ve got the greatest coach this game has ever seen,” Kelce told reporters.
“He’s unbelievable not only at dialling up plays and having everyone prepared, but he’s one of the best leaders of men I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s helped me a lot with channeling that emotion, channeling that passion.
“I owe my entire career to that guy and how to control how emotional I get. I just love him.”
Travis Kelce looked less than enthused pic.twitter.com/yncKhjtNl4
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Reid meanwhile played down the significance of Kelce’s outburst, saying his frustration stemmed from wanting the team to win.
“He was emotional today,” Reid said of Kelce. “But listen, I’ve got five kids and I know how that goes. The part that I love is that he loves to play the game, and he wants to help his team win.
“It’s not a selfish thing. And I understand that. As much as he bumps into me, I get after him. And we both understand that — he just caught me off balance.”
Three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes labelled Reid the “best of all time” and said he will be back to attempt a Super Bowl three-peat next year.
Mahomes led his team to victory in Super Bowl LVIII, collecting his third ring after he threw the match-winning touchdown to Mecole Hardman Jr in overtime.
After the game he thanked his coach who he said “knows when to call those plays at the right time”.
Mahomes said: “He’s one of the best coaches of all time, I believe he is the best coach of all time.
“I know he didn’t have the trophies yet, and I have a lot of respect for some of those great coaches, but the way he is able to navigate every single team he has, continue to have success no matter where he is at.
“For me, he brings out the best in me because he lets me be me. He doesn’t try to make me anyone else, I don’t think I would be the quarterback that I am if I didn’t have coach Reid being my head coach.”
Mahomes said he will celebrate and then “do whatever I can to be back in this game next year”.
“I think Tom (Brady) said it best, once you win that championship and you have those parades and you get those rings, you’re not the champ anymore.”
Reid said going back-to-back was “surreal”.
“I got asked so many times it is a dynasty? I don’t know what a dynasty is,” he said.
“But it’s a great win because I know hard it is to do, and then how hard the season was, the ups and downs of the season, and how proud I am of the guys for hanging with each other, staying positive with each other.
“They’re passionate players and I love that.”
Additional reporting from Press Associaton
