After a decade of postseason football, the Kansas City Chiefs are officially out of the playoff picture. Their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 not only stung in the moment-it marked the end of a remarkable 10-year run of playoff appearances. For a team and fanbase that’s grown accustomed to January football, this one hits different.
Travis Kelce, never one to shy away from speaking from the heart, addressed the disappointment head-on during a recent episode of the New Heights podcast. Sitting down with longtime friend and diehard Chiefs fan Paul Rudd, Kelce offered something you don’t often hear from a star player: an apology.
“As a brother and a Chiefs fan, I love you, I'm sorry,” Kelce said to Rudd. “But how are you feeling as a Chiefs fan right now?”
Rudd, a familiar face at Arrowhead and a constant presence during the team’s biggest moments-including serving as the official Spirit Leader during the 2020 AFC Championship-didn’t dwell on the loss. Instead, he reflected on the bigger picture.
“Honestly, how am I feeling about it? As a Chiefs fan, I am so happy to be a Chiefs fan,” he said with a smile. “The joy and the memories and everything the Chiefs have given me, with my family, with my kid… It's been an embarrassment of riches.”
That kind of perspective is rare, especially in the heat of a tough season. But Rudd wasn’t sugarcoating anything-he was speaking as someone who’s lived the highs and lows of Chiefs football and understands that the journey matters just as much as the destination.
“This wasn't the year, but that's okay,” Rudd continued. “I'm excited for whoever does it for their fanbase-that they get to share the same kind of things that I got to share with my son for all three of those victories.”
Kelce, clearly moved, responded with a quiet, heartfelt “Man,” taking in the weight of the moment.
And Rudd wasn’t done. “Even the losses, you know?
It's the best,” he said. “I'm thinking about Patrick [Mahomes], I'm wishing him a speedy recovery… and everything for the club, but you know what?
I'm okay.”
That mention of Mahomes brings us to the other gut punch from Week 15. The Chiefs’ franchise quarterback suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee during the loss.
It’s the kind of injury that changes not just the season, but the entire outlook of a franchise. Mahomes has since undergone successful surgery and is now in recovery mode.
In a message shared on X, Mahomes opened up about the emotional toll of the injury.
“Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it hurts,” he wrote on Dec.
- “But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again.
Thank you Chiefs Kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I will be back stronger than ever.”
That last line is something Chiefs fans are clinging to right now: *I will be back stronger than ever. * Because as much as this season may have ended earlier than anyone expected, the foundation in Kansas City remains rock solid.
Mahomes is still the guy. Kelce is still the heartbeat.
And the culture that’s been built over the past decade isn’t going anywhere.
The Chiefs close out their season on Christmas Day with a matchup against the Denver Broncos. It won’t be the playoff tune-up fans had hoped for, but it’s still a chance to finish strong, rally around the team, and start laying the groundwork for what comes next.
Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from this era of Chiefs football, it’s this: count them out at your own risk.