Travis Kelce details disappointing play after Chiefs' loss in expletive-laced rant

Kansas City's veteran tight end sounds defeated

Travis Kelce dropped a critical pass leading to an interception in the fourth quarter of the Kansas City Chiefs' 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans. That helped lock up Kansas City's fourth loss in its last five games. After the Patrick Mahomes interception, Kelce laid on the turf for several seconds in disbelief with the Chiefs trailing, 17-10, at Arrowhead Stadium. Playoff hopes are dwindling for the Chiefs, who have yet to find their rhythm offensively at 6-7 overall.

"You put in all this f****** work and hope that it pays off. And right now, it's just for whatever f****** reason, man, it's little things," Kelce said on the latest "New Heights" podcast episode. "I feel like I've always had the answers in years past. And this year, I just can't find them. 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 go out there and try and play my ass off for my guys next to me, it's all going to come together like it has in years past. And this year is just not, man."

Kelce failed to register 10 yards with one reception on five targets. Kelce all he can do the rest of the season is treat every remaining matchup like it's "the most important game in the world."

"It's all that I can do. I'm going to always show up to work and f***ing give it my all," Kelce said.

Kelce did not participate in post-game interviews following Sunday night's loss, leading to further retirement speculation. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer is in the final year of his contract. He previously expressed desire to make a decision on his career after the season, ahead of the NFL Draft and when the front office discusses the roster for 2026.

Nearing the end of his 13th NFL season, Kelce leads the Chiefs catches (60, yards (727) and touchdowns (five). Regarded as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, Kelce ranks third on the all-time receiving list at his position with 12,878 yards, trailing only Jason Witten (13,046 yards) and Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez (15,127). 

For the first time in nine years, Kansas City became mathematically eliminated from winning the AFC West after Sunday's loss and according to the latest SportsLine odds, only has a 9.1% chance of reaching the postseason.

Prior to Kelce's bobble leading to the interception, Kansas City unsuccessfully went for it on 4th-and-1 from its own 31-yard line with 10:27 to play in a tie game. Mahomes was pressured and his pass over the middle fell incomplete, leading to the Texans' go-ahead touchdown a few players later.

"I put the guys offensively in a tough position with the fourth downs," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game. "I tried to stay aggressive with it. I take full responsibility for that. I thought we could get it, that was the decision. I was confident we could do that. It's important that you take advantage of opportunities (and) I thought it was an opportunity. I was wrong, no? I mean, hindsight, it was wrong. We've been pretty good on fourth downs. I messed that one up."