CNN —
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said on Wednesday that his push of head coach Andy Reid during Super Bowl LVIII was “definitely unacceptable.”
Speaking on his ‘New Heights’ podcast alongside his brother Jason, Kelce explained the situation, admitting that he went too far.
“I can’t get that fired up to the point where bumping Coach and it’s getting him off balance and stuff. When he stumbled, I was like: ‘Aw, sh*t’ in my head.”
Angered that Reid had taken him out of the game during the first half, Kelce pushed the 65-year-old so hard on the sideline that the Chiefs head coach momentarily lost his balance, while the tight end continued to shout in his face.
Kelce was eventually pulled away by teammate Jerick McKinnon.
Reid laughed off the incident following the Chiefs’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers, telling CBS’ postgame show, “He keeps me young. He tested that hip out. He caught me off balance – normally, I’d give him a little bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me.”
But on Wednesday’s podcast, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason said that his brother “crossed the line” and that his yelling in Reid’s face “too is over the top.”
Travis called the incident a “cheap shot,” adding that he wishes he could have taken what he did back.
The 34-year-old explained that Reid came up to him after the incident and didn’t have any harsh words for him, even though Kelce expected some.
“I deserve it. If he would have cold cocked me in the face right there, I would have just ate it. I would have been like: ‘Let’s f**king go.’”
Instead, Reid told him that he loves Kelce’s passion and that it fired him up even more to get a win for him.
Kelce was supported by another legend of the game in the form of Tom Brady, who said that the encounter was typical NFL “family issues” and something he was a part of regularly.
“Emotions are so high. You are definitely not centered and balanced. You’re not in a meditative state at that point,” Brady said on the ‘Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray’ podcast. “You are fully determined to go out there and to win.
“So I think a lot of the things that are said during the games, people should just let them fly off their back. And I actually think Coach Reid handled it just awesome, like he always does, ‘cause he just said: ‘I was a little off balance and Travis is such a competitor.’ And I love that because it just speaks to his leadership ability.”
The incident occurred in the first half of Super Bowl LVIII, during which Kelce was held to just one catch for one yard.
However, by the end of regulation and overtime, Kelce had nine catches for 93 yards and was a key reason behind the Chiefs retaining their Super Bowl crown and winning their third title in five seasons.
Kelce detailed his relationship with Reid – who he has played his whole career under – on Wednesday’s podcast, saying that he has a “certain relationship” with the Chiefs head coach.
“He’s checked me a few times, and I just wanted to let him know that I wanted this thing and that he can put it on me and I got him,” Kelce explained. “It just came in a moment where we weren’t playing very well. I wasn’t playing very well and we had to get some sh*t going.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes holds the Lombardi Trophy after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11. Mahomes was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce kisses his girlfriend, singer Taylor Swift, during the postgame celebrations.
Chiefs guard Trey Smith cries on the field after his team won the game.
Confetti falls at Allegiant Stadium, which is just off the Las Vegas Strip.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, second left, celebrates with staff members after the game.
San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk walks off the field after the game.
Mahomes lies on the ground after throwing the game-winning touchdown to Mecole Hardman Jr.
Chiefs players run onto the field after the game-winning touchdown.
Hardman, front right, celebrates with Mahomes after they connected for the last touchdown.
Mahomes, bottom right, runs toward Hardman after the last play.
Mahomes runs for a first down during the game-winning drive.
The Chiefs offense huddles up in overtime.
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey runs down the sideline for a big gain during overtime. The play set up a Jake Moody field goal that gave the 49ers a 22-19 lead.
Referee Bill Vinovich performs the coin toss before overtime. This was just the second Super Bowl in history to go to overtime.
Kelce, left, is unable to catch a pass while defended by 49ers linebacker Fred Warner late in the fourth quarter.
Mahomes scrambles during the second half.
Moody kicks a 53-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to give his team a 19-16 lead. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker would tie the game with three seconds left.
49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings catches a 10-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The 49ers led 16-13 after the play. The extra point was blocked.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones chases 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the second half.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on during the fourth quarter.
Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling celebrates after catching a 16-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The touchdown gave the Chiefs their first lead of the game, and they led 13-10 going into the fourth quarter.
The 49ers' Ray-Ray McCloud III tries to recover a muffed punt in the third quarter. The Chiefs recovered and then scored a touchdown on the next play.
Butker kicks a 57-yard field goal in the third quarter to cut the 49ers' lead to 10-6. It is the longest field goal in Super Bowl history, eclipsing the 55-yarder that Moody kicked in the first half.
A Chiefs fan looks dejected as his team trailed during the game.
49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown intercepts a Mahomes pass on the opening drive of the second half.
49ers fans celebrate a touchdown at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, just a short drive away from where the game was taking place.
McCaffrey scores the first touchdown of the game. The 21-yard score in the second quarter came off a trick play where Jennings threw a pass across the field to McCaffrey. The 49ers went into halftime with a 10-3 lead.
49ers starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw injured his Achilles, CBS reported, as he jogged onto the field for a play in the second quarter.
Kelce yells at Reid after Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco fumbled in the red zone during the second quarter.
Pacheco fumbles the ball in the second quarter.
Hardman pulls in a 52-yard catch during the second quarter. The play put the Chiefs in the red zone, but Pacheco fumbled the ball away on the next play.
Moody makes a 55-yard field goal to open the scoring in the second quarter. It was the longest field goal in Super Bowl history until Butker topped it later in the game.
Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie defends a pass intended for 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel during the second quarter.
49ers wide receiver Chris Conley is fired up after a first-half play.
49ers defensive lineman Javon Hargrave covers up Mahomes. Mahomes was frequently under pressure in the first half, and the 49ers sacked him twice.
McCaffrey runs the ball early in the game.
Mahomes drops back to pass in the first half.
49ers tight end George Kittle prepares to make a catch in the first quarter.
McCaffrey fumbles the ball on the opening drive.
Purdy gets set to pass in the first quarter.
Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton hits 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk on an early play.
Team captains line up for the pregame coin toss.
Planes fly over Allegiant Stadium before the game.
Reid adjusts his headset before kickoff.
The American flag is unfurled as Reba McEntire performs the national anthem before the game.
From left, rapper Ice Spice, Swift and Lively hang out before the start of the game.
McEntire sings the national anthem.
Kelce takes the field before the start of the game.
Singer Andra Day performs "Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the pregame festivities.
Rapper Jay-Z is seen with his two of his children, Blue Ivy and Rumi, before the game.
Fans line up outside the stadium before the game.
Las Vegas showgirls wait to pose for pictures with fans outside the stadium.
Mahomes' wife, Brittany, poses for a photo with their children, Sterling and Bronze, before the game.
Fans pose for a photo before the game.
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“Sometimes, those emotions get away from me, man. That’s been the battle of my career, but, everybody else, I don’t give a sh*t what anybody else says. I talked to Coach Reid about it today and we kind of chuckled about it. I couldn’t be more proud of being his product on the field, and I couldn’t be more proud of where we’ve come as a team since I got here in 2013.
“I just love playing for the guy, man. And unfortunately, sometimes, my passion comes out where it looks like it’s negativity, but I’m grateful he knows it’s all because I want to win this thing with him more than anything.”
Kelce and the Chiefs will go for an unprecedented three-peat of Super Bowl titles next season.
This story has been updated with additional information.
