Travis Kelce isn't having any talk that the Kansas City Chiefs rested many of their starters against the Denver Broncos last Sunday in order to keep the Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoffs.
On their "New Heights" podcast, Jason Kelce brought up that speculation to his brother, the star Chiefs tight end, who scoffed at the notion.
"I ain't scared of f---ing nobody," Travis Kelce said. "I wanted them in the f---ing playoffs. I want to slay every dragon one by one, like Mortal Kombat. I don't even want this to be like we play the lowest seed. Just give me the best teams."
"AFC, NFC, give me all of them, Mortal Kombat style," Kelce added. "I'll go through every f---ing one of 'em just giving them my best f--ing effort. I ain't scared of a single soul, man."
The Bengals (9-8) finished the season with five straight victories buoyed by career seasons from Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. However, they needed losses by the Miami Dolphins and Broncos to make the postseason. Miami lost 32-20 to the New York Jets but the Broncos (10-7) defeated the Chiefs 38-0 to clinch the AFC's final wild-card spot.
Burrow finished the season as the league leader in passing touchdowns (43) and passing yards (4,918). Chase won the receiving triple crown after topping his peers in the three major categories (1,708 yards, 17 touchdowns, 127 receptions). And defensive end Trey Hendrickson led all players with 17.5 sacks.
After the Bengals defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-17 in their season finale Saturday night, coach Zac Taylor said the rest of the NFL was "not going to want us in this tournament, I promise you."
The Bengals beat the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium, 27-24 in overtime after the 2021 season to reach the Super Bowl and then played them tough again in the next season's AFC title game, losing 23-20. Before that loss, Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton called the Chiefs' home "Burrowhead."
"I'll play them at the Walmart parking lot," he said. "I don't give a s---. We can have our own game in the offseason where we really duke it out.
"Listen, I love competing against the greatest. The Bengals were a fun-ass f---ing team to watch there towards the end of the season, and it's a shame they didn't make it in the playoffs, because they would have made the playoffs that much f---ing crazier and that much more fun."
The Chiefs (15-2) have a bye this week as the AFC's top seed.
