Travis Kelce Breaks Silence on Chiefs Referee Controversy
Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce has finally spoken out about the ongoing debate surrounding the officiating in the AFC Championship Game. The controversy emerged after the Chiefs’ narrow 32-29 victory over the Buffalo Bills, with many fans and even rapper Lil Wayne accusing the referees of favoring Kansas City.
Kelce joined his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, on ESPN’s They Call It Late Night to discuss the matter. Jason playfully questioned his brother about whether he would still have appeared on the show if the Chiefs had lost.
“100 percent,” Travis responded, dismissing the notion that he would have avoided the media had the game gone differently.
Lil Wayne and NFL Players Weigh In
The controversy gained traction after Lil Wayne took to social media to vent his frustration, calling the Chiefs “cheaters.” During an episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, Jason brought up the rapper’s comments.
“Even Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne [wrote on social media], ‘I hate the cheating a** Chiefs.’”
Travis laughed off the criticism, responding, “Shout out to Tunechi, man.”
Several NFL players have also shared their thoughts. Bills running back James Cook bluntly dismissed complaints about the officiating, saying on the Kickin’ It with Dee podcast:
“At the end of the day, as a man, you’ve got to come in there ready to go. F*** that ref s***.”
Chiefs offensive lineman Creed Humphrey also downplayed the referee favoritism rumors during an interview with Rich Eisen.
“I don’t listen to any of that stuff much, you know?” HTravis Kelce Addresses Chiefs Referee Controversy: “I Thought It Was Fair”umphrey said. “For me, it’s focusing on what we can do!”
Super Bowl Showdown Awaits
With the controversy still fresh, the Chiefs now turn their focus to the Super Bowl, where they will face the Philadelphia Eagles after their dominant 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
Despite the noise surrounding his team, Travis Kelce remains confident.
“This team still feels hungry and it feels new almost,” he said. “We got a lot of new players, got a lot of different faces from the previous two Super Bowl runs, and it’s a really different identity on the offensive side.”
The Chiefs and Eagles will battle for the Lombardi Trophy on February 9 at 6:30 PM ET on FOX.
