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'A love tap' story: Taylor Swift's boyfriend explains 'violent' act aimed at coach

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 13 Feb 2024, 7:56AM
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts at Head coach Andy Reid in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts at Head coach Andy Reid in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

'A love tap' story: Taylor Swift's boyfriend explains 'violent' act aimed at coach

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 13 Feb 2024, 7:56AM

Being Super Bowl champions maybe all is forgotten between Travis Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid after a strange incident in the first half when the tight end was caught on camera shoving and yelling at his 65-year-old coach.  

A frustrated Kelce bumped Reid on the sideline, knocking the Chiefs coach a few steps back after teammate Isiah Pacheco fumbled inside the red zone during the second quarter of the Super Bowl on Monday. The Chiefs were struggling to score against the San Francisco 49ers at the time but came back from 10 points down to claim the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl title - and third for both Kelce and Reid.  

Kelce, with girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from a suite, ran over to Reid and screamed at him after the fumble. 

CBS reported that Kelce was angry that he wasn’t getting the ball enough and yelled at Reid. 

The Chiefs gained just 16 yards on their first two possessions and trailed the San Francisco 49ers 3-0 when Patrick Mahomes and Mecole Hardman hooked up on a dazzling play. 

Mahomes rolled to his right, threw a deep ball across his body and dropped a perfect pass into double coverage to Hardman for a 52-yard gain to the Niners 9. 

But Deommodore Lenoir forced Pacheco to fumble on the next play and Javon Hargrave recovered for San Francisco. 

This was the second sideline incident involving Kelce and Reid this season. During a game against the Raiders on Christmas Day, an angry Kelce spiked his helmet on the sideline, and when a staff member tried to hand it back to the tight end so that he could take the field, Reid grabbed the helmet and refused to give it back. 

The incident left both NFL viewers and Swift fans stunned at Kelce’s behaviour, with some claiming he “lost his mind” and labelled the incident as “violent”. 

Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce had a heated interraction with head coach Andy Reid during the Super Bowl.Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce had a heated interraction with head coach Andy Reid during the Super Bowl. 

“Travis Kelce looks like he just assaulted his coach,” Jack Poso tweeted. 

Another added: “...Travis Kelce body checks his own head coach … what a jacka**.” 

“Kelce just lost his mind, running into Andy Reid on the sideline as he complained about the play call on Pacheco’s fumble,” Skip Bayless tweeted. 

“Some coach would bench Kelce for that but this is the Super Bowl and he’s just too valuable.” 

“What kind of man assaults his coach for taking him out for a play?” wrote another. “I hope Taylor Swift breaks up with Travis Kelce after the game.” 

Former NFL star AJ Brown weighed in, writing: “If that was me I would’ve been kicked out the league.” 

The Chiefs trailed 10-3 at halftime but came back several times as Mahomes led a drive to send the game into overtime and then threw the game-winning touchdown to Hardman to secure a 25-22 victory - just the second Super Bowl title to be won over overtime. 

After the game, the earlier incident was brushed off by both Kelce and Reid. 

Reid said there were no hard feelings. 

“He loves to play the game and he loves to help his team win,” Reid said in his post-game press conference. “It’s not a selfish thing. 

“As much as he bumps into me, I get after him. We understand that. He just caught me off balance.” 

Speaking on SportsCenter after the game, Kelce dedicated the win to his coach. 

“Man, I was fired up — I was fired up that we weren’t hitting on all cylinders,” Kelce said. 

“I had to give ‘Big Red’ a love tap and let him know that we were all here fighting for him no matter what. 

“I just had to tell him I loved him real quick,” he quipped. 

Kelce finished the Super Bowl with 93 yards receiving, the most of the game, after being shut out for much of the first half. 

“I put so much trust in him and how he goes about being a head coach, as a leader — he’s one of the best leaders in the game. I can’t thank him enough for giving me opportunities year in, year out. This third one, this second one back-to-back, this one’s for him, no doubt.” 

“I’ve got the greatest coach this game has ever seen,” he said. “Unbelievable at not only dialling up plays and having the guys prepared, but he’s one of the best leaders of men that I’ve ever seen in my life. 

“He’s helped me a lot with channelling that emotion, channelling that passion and I owe my entire career to that guy and being able to control how emotional I get. I just love him.” 

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