Travis Kelce Facing Backlash for Behavior in Chiefs-Bills Game

With 1:55 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a one-yard touchdown run that put the Chiefs ahead 20-10. He took a hard hit from Bills safety Damar Hamlin as he crossed the goal line. 

Kelce was quick to get in the mix. He flexed in the face of Hamlin, who did not react. However, the gesture got Buffalo's Jordan Phillips to react. He headbutted Kelce, who theatrically fell backward so that the officials would see it. Phillips was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, but Kelce got backlash for his provocative behavior.

"KELCE FLOPPED FOR THOSE 15 YARDS," Fox Sports' Skip Bayless wrote on X. JUST BOGUS."

"Genuinely ruins football just playing for flags," posted a frustrated fan.

"Typical Kelce," criticized an X user. "Talk (expletive) to the little guys but when a big boy shows up take a flop."

The Chiefs have been the subject of countless debates about NFL officiating, including last week's drama surrounding quarterback Patrick Mahomes benefitting from questionable calls in the divisional round win over the Texans.

After that game, Mahomes admitted to flopping on a play when he was looking for a flag and did not get it.

By contrast, Kelce's theatrics followed what was a clear headbutt from Phillips. The fact that he started it unnecessarily on a scoring play — much like this play against the Texans — fed into the narratives about the back-to-back Super Bowl champions always looking for calls.