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Travis Kelce on pregame fracas with Ravens K Justin Tucker: 'He was poking the bear'

Kelce was in no mood for any pregame fun with the Ravens' kicker

Sean Leahy
Contributing writer
·3 min read
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After Justin Tucker and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chimed in on the heated discussion regarding where the Baltimore Ravens kicker could run through his pregame routine, Travis Kelce added his two cents during this week's "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Jason.

"If you want to be a f***ing d*** about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f***ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up," Kelce said. "If you're not going to pick that up, I'll happily move that for you.

"Justin came out, and he said it was more of a joking gesture and kind of a fun, competitive [move], and I get it. He was kind of winking at me, being a d*** about it, trying to get under the skin. ... [Pat and I] just weren't in a joking mood. We were ready to get after it."

Before the Chiefs’ 17-10 win over the Ravens on Sunday to advance to Super Bowl LVIII, Mahomes was seen multiple times kicking Tucker’s ball holder out of the way while he and Kelce were warming up. After Tucker again set his helmet and two balls near the same spot on the goal line, Kelce walked over and tossed everything to the side to clear a path for Mahomes.

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Mahomes said Tuesday that Tucker is the only kicker he has had this issue with during his NFL career.

"He does that to get under our skin," Mahomes said, via ESPN. "I asked him to move his stuff, and he got up and moved it I think two inches but didn't move it out of the way. I was going to let it slide, but Travis moved it for me, and after that I wasn't going to let him put it back down.

"I have a lot of respect for him as a player and as a kicker. He's one of the best kickers of all time, probably the best kicker of all time. At the same time, you've got to have respect for each team. We all share the field, and we try to do that in a respectful way."

Tucker said it's something he has always done during his 12-year NFL career, and he thought Mahomes and Kelce were just having fun initially.

Whatever the intentions, Mahomes and Kelce were in no mood for any pregame shenanigans. As Jason Kelce pointed out on the podcast, Tucker's move did get under the skin of the Chiefs' offensive leaders, but not in the way he likely intended. The Chiefs quarterback went on to complete 30 of 39 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, and Kelce had one of his best games of this season, with 11 catches for 116 yards and a score.

"Justin, sorry if we took it to a level you didn't think it would get to," Kelce said. "But if you're going to be a d***, I can one-up you every time. ... Don't make me as the bad guy. He was poking the bear."

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Kelce said that had Tucker missed the 43-yard field goal that cut the Chiefs' lead to 17-10, he and Mahomes would have "1,000 percent" been flagged for taunting after the failed attempt.

If you were wondering, yes, the Chiefs and Ravens will play during the 2024 regular season in Kansas City. What pregame trolling might we see then?