Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba (24) intercepts a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Chiefs' Travis Kelce Addresses Game-Changing Interception

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Zak Gilbert | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 12:00 PM ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Replays showed Jalen Carter getting a few skin cells on the fateful pass as soon as it left Patrick Mahomes’ hands. And Mahomes said afterward he could’ve placed the ball more on Travis Kelce’s hands.

But in his first public comments on the game-changing play from Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Eagles, Kelce left no doubts.

“Gotta catch the ball,” Kelce said on Wednesday’s edition of the New Heights podcast. “Gotta catch the ball.”

That ball volleyed off the tight end’s hands just shy of the goal line, ricocheted off his shoulder pad and into the arms of rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Instead of taking a 17-13 lead with 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the play altered the outcome.

On climbing out of the 0-2 hole

Outcomes haven’t gone the Chiefs’ way in their first 0-2 start since 2014, Kelce’s second NFL season. The tight end gave a blunt assessment on the podcast, but said he has trust in head coach Andy Reid to lead a turnaround.

“We're just not executing to the degree that we we hold ourselves accountable to,” he said, “Coach Reid and how he holds us accountable. And then, us players gotta hold each other accountable. I gotta be there for my guys, man, knowing that they put a lot on my plate to be a good player for this team, and I need to (expletive) answer that bell, man.”

Clear accountability

Kelce also refused to let Mahomes take the blame, or allow Carter’s slight deflection to serve as an excuse, for the interception.

“The ball is where it needed to be, when it needed to be there,” Kelce said. “I just got to get my head around out of the break. … And I know that that's the window that it needs to be. And I know what's coming, out of armpits and ear holes of the offense and defensive line, getting their hands up.

“And I just got to be able to get my head around, right now, so that I don't put myself in a position to let the ball surprise me like that. And it's frustrating, man. I've scored on that play a million times in my life. Obviously exaggerating, but it's just something that should have never happened, and then, yeah, it cost us. It cost us bigtime, and that (expletive) hurts, but we'll get it fixed.”

Getting it fixed begins in primetime on Sunday Night Football (7:20 p.m. CT, NBC/KSHB-TV, Channel 41, 96.5 The Fan) at MetLife Stadium against the Giants.

Kelce, who led the Chiefs with 61 receiving yards last week, is bidding for his third straight road game with a touchdown reception. In his only career road game against the Giants, Nov. 19, 2017, he had 109 yards on eight receptions.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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