Chiefs Fall to Texans, Kelce’s Costly Turnover Caps Painful Night in Kansas City
The Chiefs’ playoff hopes took a serious blow under the lights of Sunday Night Football, falling 17-10 to the Texans in a game that felt like a gut punch - not just for the fans, but for the team’s heartbeat, Travis Kelce.
With Kansas City trailing late in the fourth quarter, the offense had already come up short on back-to-back fourth-down attempts. Down by a touchdown and needing a spark, Patrick Mahomes looked to the most trusted target of his career.
First down - incomplete. Second down - Mahomes went right back to Kelce.
That’s where things unraveled.
Travis Kelce can’t haul in the pass and the Texans end up with their third INT off Patrick Mahomes 🤯
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 8, 2025
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/VaB36npiYg
Kelce hauled in the pass and turned upfield, but as he tried to secure the ball, it slipped away. Azeez Al-Shaair was in the right place at the right time, scooping up the bobble for a game-sealing interception.
As Houston’s defense sprinted off in celebration, Kelce lay on the turf, stunned. It was a rare sight - the future Hall of Famer motionless on the field while the clock, and possibly the Chiefs’ season, ticked away.
The replay didn’t do much to soften the blow. Myles Bryant’s hit came just as Kelce was trying to corral the ball, and in slow motion, the impact looked every bit as jarring as the moment itself.
Kelce eventually made his way to the sideline, clearly shaken. He sat on the bench, eyes closed, seemingly trying to process what had just happened. NBC’s cameras returned to him several times in the final moments - a quiet image of a player who’s been the emotional engine of this team for a decade.
It was a tough night statistically, too. Kelce finished with just one catch for eight yards on five targets - his least productive game of the season.
And now, with four games left, the Chiefs find themselves sitting as the No. 10 seed in the AFC. Their playoff odds?
How has the 2025 season gone for the #Chiefs?
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) December 8, 2025
An accurate depiction: pic.twitter.com/QWheEWY5cw
Just 16%.
This isn’t the kind of December we’re used to seeing from Kansas City. The connection between Mahomes and Kelce has been the foundation of their offensive identity for years, but even the most reliable duos hit turbulence. Sunday night wasn’t just a loss on the scoreboard - it was a moment that could define the stretch run of the Chiefs’ season.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 8, 2025
There’s still time, but the margin for error is gone. And after a night like this, the road ahead looks steeper than ever.