Paul Rudd Jabs at Officials After Controversial Call Voids Kelce TD in Week 12
Paul Rudd may be best known for his charm on the big screen, but when it comes to his Kansas City Chiefs, he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind-especially when the officials get involved.
The longtime Chiefs superfan made an appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast the day after Kansas City’s 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and he didn’t hold back when discussing a controversial penalty that wiped out a Travis Kelce touchdown in Week 12 against the Colts.
“It’s a tough thing to sustain,” Rudd said on the show, referencing the grind of the NFL season. “Sometimes you score a touchdown, and they call a phantom face mask.” He added, “It happens to every team... it’s a game of inches.”
Rudd’s comments came in the wake of a first-half sequence that had Chiefs fans scratching their heads. With under a minute left before halftime, Kelce lined up in the shotgun, took the direct snap, and powered his way into the end zone for what looked like a statement touchdown.
But the celebration was cut short. Officials flagged right tackle Jawaan Taylor for a facemask penalty on Colts linebacker Kwity Paye.
Replays told a different story. Taylor’s hand appeared to make contact with the side of Paye’s helmet, but there was no clear grab of the facemask. Still, the flag stood, and the touchdown came off the board.
Despite the setback, Kansas City managed to pull out a 23-20 overtime win. But the play-and the penalty-left a mark, especially for fans like Rudd who live and breathe every snap.
Chiefs Struggle in Loss to Titans as Kelce's Future Looms
Fast forward to this past weekend, and the vibes were very different. Kansas City took the field at Nissan Stadium and turned in one of their flattest performances of the season. The Titans, who had dropped 11 straight at home, snapped that streak in emphatic fashion, holding the Chiefs to just 133 total yards and a mere nine first downs.
It was a rough day all around. Gardner Minshew, starting in place of Patrick Mahomes, exited in the second quarter with a knee injury. The offense never found a rhythm, and the scoreboard reflected it.
And with Mahomes reportedly out for the remainder of the season and possibly not ready for Week 1 next year, the conversation around Travis Kelce’s future is heating up. He’s heading for a third straight season under the 1,000-yard mark-a stat that would’ve been unthinkable just a few years ago. Add in a high-profile wedding with Taylor Swift scheduled for June, and the retirement whispers are getting louder.
While nothing’s official, and Kelce hasn’t tipped his hand, it’s clear that the Chiefs are at a bit of a crossroads. The offense has sputtered, the injuries are piling up, and the core that brought Kansas City to the top of the football world may be nearing the end of its run.
Still, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this team-and its fans-it’s that they don’t go down quietly. Whether it’s Paul Rudd calling out questionable calls or Kelce taking snaps out of the shotgun, there’s always something brewing in Chiefs Kingdom.