Travis Kelce Says He Isn't Getting 'Opportunities to Make Plays Down the Field': 'Not Playing Our Best Football'
Despite the claim, Travis further highlighted that he is "not using that as an excuse moving forward" and his goal to "help the team out in that regard"
Travis Kelce is opening up about his recent NFL stats once again
The tight end said, "We're finding ways to win games, and we're not playing our best football. Everybody can clean it up"
Though he noted that he isn't "getting a lot of opportunities to make plays down the field," Travis said he wants to "make sure that I can help the team out in that regard, knowing that I've been that weapon for us in the past"
Travis Kelce is once again addressing his recent NFL stats taking a slump, and touching on his lack of opportunities to make plays down the field.
Travis opened up on the latest episode of his New Heights podcast with brother Jason Kelce about the situation as a whole. “Pat said it. Coach Reed said it. You know, we're finding ways to win games, and we're not playing our best football. Everybody can clean it up. I think everyone saw my drop on in the Q4, that crucial third down, just trying to do too much before putting the ball away,” he shared.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end added, “I think, with how defenses are playing us right now, I'm not really getting a lot of opportunities to make plays down the field, but not using that as an excuse moving forward, still trying to, you know, make sure that I can help the team out in that regard, knowing that I've been that weapon for us in the past.”
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When Jason voiced his opinion on what is causing Travis to receive fewer opportunities to make plays, Travis replied, “Whatever it is, it’s football, baby.”
Related: Travis Kelce Looks Frustrated in Viral Clip After Third-Straight Slow Game
“I've had a lot of catches in this league, man. I'm not worried about, you know, the catches and the yards and all of that. I have the most fun when I get the ball thrown my way. I mean, who doesn’t?” Travis continued.
“As long as we're winning football games, we're good to go, baby,” he added.
On Monday, Sept. 23, after the Chiefs pulled off a win against the Atlanta Falcons, where Travis once again had a slow game, quarterback Patrick Mahomes weighed in on the situation.
"It’s crazy because the respect factor teams have for Travis is unreal, and it’s well-deserved," Mahomes said during media availability following the team's third consecutive win, this time against the Atlanta Falcons. "We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three [defenders] are going to him. That’s the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game but he wants to win at the end of the day.”
Mahomes continued, “I’m going to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he’s there, whenever he’s open. I think the more Rashee [Rice] makes plays, the more we’re able to run the football, the more we can get [Xavier] Worthy involved, I think that’s going to open Travis up more. People are really emphasizing taking him away and that’s getting other guys open."
On last week's episode of New Heights, Travis explained that he has learned not to stress about early-in-the-season, underwhelming performances.
Related: Patrick Mahomes Explains Why Travis Kelce Isn't Getting as Many Catches This Season
“I used to get really, really pissed off and almost lose my cool a lot of the time from not having that success knowing that I demand that out of myself and I just like to play the game to such a high level of accountability that it’s just tough for me to deal with being mediocre or having stats that represent that,” Travis said at the time.
He continued, “For whatever reason, these past two games it hasn’t gone that way for me and that’s football, man. I’m not about to sit here and get frustrated about it.”
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