Travis Kelce proclaims Patriots as one of his biggest rivals
The Patriots have created many enemies and started rivalries over the years, particularly during the dynasty era. One of the more recent has been with the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the rise of the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs and their incredible success, the two AFC teams fought to remain atop the conference. The young quarterback was quickly named the “baby G.O.A.T.,” and the media couldn’t stop creating a new rivalry for the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick Patriots.
Many players have shared their opinions of the six-time Super Bowl Champions over the years, most of which could have been more favorable. Although he’s shared his views on New England before, in a recent episode of his podcast New Heights with his brother Jason, Travis Kelce shared a surprising reason why he views the Patriots as one of his biggest rivals.
When thinking of the possible explanations for Kelce’s feelings, most would conclude his dislike of being referenced as a “lesser version of Rob Gronkowski.” It’s what his brother Jason says right away when Travis mentions the Patriots. But after proclaiming he isn’t bothered by the comparisons, he says his biggest gripe with the New England team is their fans.
"“I’m not sure if it’s mutual, but I absolutely hate playing the Patriots. I’m mad at them calling out my mom in the stands. Your momma jokes are cool, just when you say them to me, not my mom. Like when mom’s leaving the stadium, she’s getting heckled, you know, that’s just (expletive) low blows, man. A lot of people say they go into New England and just get a bad taste in their mouth about Patriots fans.”"
Although generalizing an entire fanbase to act a specific way is not the fairest thing to do, hearing a player reference a lousy experience among Patriots fans, in general, is nothing new.
Because the matchups the Patriots and Chiefs have had in recent years were high-stakes-worthy games, emotions are intense, and fans react from a competitive standpoint, likely leading to derogatory comments made. But the tight end’s feelings on the matter align with how most would react in the same situation.
Fortunately for Kelce, he won’t be playing the Patriots soon.