Paul Rudd Defends Chiefs After Controversial Kelce Touchdown Wipeout in Week 12
Paul Rudd may be best known for his roles on the big screen, but when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s just another passionate fan living and dying with every snap. And after a controversial call in Week 12 that erased a Travis Kelce touchdown, Rudd didn’t hold back.
The moment in question came late in the first half against the Colts. With Kansas City knocking on the door, the Chiefs dialed up a bit of trickery - Kelce lined up in the shotgun, took the direct snap, and powered his way four yards into the end zone.
Arrowhead erupted. But the celebration was short-lived.
A flag flew, and officials called Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor for a facemask on Colts linebacker Kwity Paye. The replay, however, told a different story.
Taylor’s hand made contact with the side of Paye’s helmet - no doubt - but there was no clear grab of the facemask. Still, the touchdown came off the board.
Rudd, who appeared on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast the day after Kansas City’s 26-9 loss to Tennessee, didn’t hide his frustration with the call.
“Sometimes you score a touchdown, and they call a phantom face mask,” Rudd said. “There’s lots of things that happen, and it happens to every team. It’s a game of inches.”
That kind of moment - a borderline call in a critical situation - is the type of thing that can swing momentum in any NFL game. And while Rudd acknowledged the ups and downs of the season, his comments reflect what many Chiefs fans were feeling after seeing a highlight-reel play wiped out by what looked like a questionable flag.
Chiefs Fall to Titans as Offensive Struggles Continue
That frustration only grew after the Chiefs’ performance in Tennessee. Kansas City managed just 133 total yards and nine first downs in a 26-9 loss, their lowest offensive output of the season. The Titans, who had lost 11 straight at home, snapped that streak in emphatic fashion.
Gardner Minshew got the start at quarterback for the Chiefs but exited in the second quarter with a knee injury, and the offense never found its rhythm. With Patrick Mahomes out and not expected back for Week 1 next season, Kansas City’s offensive identity is clearly in flux.
The loss also reignited speculation about Travis Kelce’s future. With his production dipping - he's on pace to finish under 1,000 yards for a third straight season - and a high-profile wedding to Taylor Swift on the horizon this June, questions about retirement have started to bubble up again.
But for now, the Chiefs are still in the thick of the playoff picture. And while the offense has sputtered at times, the team has shown flashes of what it can be when things click. As Rudd said, it’s a game of inches - and in December, every inch matters.
Whether or not that Kelce touchdown should’ve stood is up for debate. But one thing’s clear: the Chiefs are searching for answers, and the clock is ticking.