Travis Kelce Opens Up on Chiefs’ Struggles: “It’s a Tough Reality”
KANSAS CITY - For the first time in a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs are staring at a postseason without a division title - and possibly without a playoff berth at all. And if anyone’s feeling the weight of that unfamiliar reality, it’s Travis Kelce.
The All-Pro tight end, a cornerstone of Kansas City’s dynastic run over the past several seasons, finally broke his silence following the team’s gut-wrenching loss to the Houston Texans - a game that may have dealt a critical blow to their playoff hopes. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Chiefs now have just an 11% chance of making the postseason.
Let that sink in for a second. This is a team that’s been the gold standard in the AFC West for ten straight seasons.
Kelce, who didn’t speak to the media immediately after the loss, used his podcast New Heights to share what’s been going through his mind - and he didn’t hold back.
“It’s been a tough [expletive] go around for the past two days,” Kelce said, his frustration raw and unfiltered. “I keep thinking if I show up to work and I put in the work, and I fix the issues through my practice habits and through perfecting the game plan, and my fundamentals and what I’m being taught and try to play my [expletive] off for my guys next to me - it’s all going to come together like it has in years past.”
That’s the mindset of a veteran who’s been through the grind, who’s seen the formula work time and time again. But this season, the gears just aren’t turning the same way. Kelce pointed to the small mistakes - the kinds of details that championship teams usually clean up - as the things that are holding the Chiefs back.
“You put in all this [expletive] work and hope that it pays off,” he said. “And right now, it’s just for whatever [expletive] reason, man, it’s little things.”
And that’s been the story of the Chiefs in 2025 - a team with championship pedigree, still loaded with talent, but constantly tripping over the small stuff. Whether it’s penalties, missed assignments, or untimely turnovers, the margin for error has shrunk, and Kansas City hasn’t been able to stay on the right side of it.
Now, the path to the playoffs is narrow - and out of their control. According to Sports Illustrated, the Chiefs need to win out, hope the Colts drop at least two of their final four games, and the Chargers finish 1-3 or worse. It’s a long shot, and Kelce knows it.
“Obviously, looking at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in,” he said. “Especially for how we’ve always found a way in years past. So, it’s a [expletive] [expletive] feeling.”
That’s not just disappointment talking - that’s a leader grappling with the unfamiliar. For a team that’s made deep playoff runs feel routine, being on the outside looking in is jarring.
“Obviously, we don’t necessarily control our own destiny at this point,” Kelce continued. “Like I said, we need some things to happen outside of us winning all our games, so that’s all you can do, man. You got the Chargers coming in, and you just get after them.”
It’s a simple message, but one that resonates: control what you can. The Chiefs can’t change what’s already happened, and they can’t control how other teams finish.
But they can fight. And that’s exactly what Kelce intends to do.
“It’s frustrating, but we got four games left and go put my heart on the line for these guys, because they deserve that,” he said. “Chiefs Kingdom, you guys deserve that. And we can keep this thing rolling, man.”
If the Chiefs are going down, they’re going down swinging - and Kelce’s not about to let the season slip away without a fight. The odds are steep, the pressure’s on, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this Kansas City team over the years, it’s this: never count them out too early.