Mahomes, Kelce respond to Ravens kicker not moving equipment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes are speaking out about their pregame scuffle with Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker.

On Sunday, ahead of the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs and Ravens were warming up on their respective sides. While warming up, skills players often test out each side of the field due to wind and other factors.

While Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was warming up on the Chiefs side, Mahomes and Kelce felt like he was getting in their way.

“So we’re warming up, and we do our same warm-ups every single time on our side of the field. If you’re trying to go on to the other team’s designated area, you kind of stay out of their way,” Kelce explained Wednesday on his New Heights podcast.

“You don’t ever interfere with what they have going on. That’s the unwritten rule.”

“If you want to be a f*****g d*** about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f*****g kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up,” Kelce said.

“And they’re dropping eyes, looking left, and they have their helmet down by their feet. If you’re not going to pick that up, I will happily move that for you.”

In an interview, Tucker said he moved the gear out of the way — or what he thought was out of the way.

“I happily got up and moved my helmet out of the way, at least I thought it was enough out of the way. And then Travis comes over and he just kicks my stuff, he throws my helmet,” Tucker said.

The Ravens kicker also said the gesture was out of gamesmanship and was all in good fun, but Kelce and Mahomes took it more seriously.

“He was kind of winking at me, being a d*** about it, trying to get under the skin. Me and Pat, we’ve been having the same mentality for the game all week long,” Kelce said. “We just weren’t in a joking mood.”

Mahomes talked about the moment in an interview with 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City, saying this isn’t the first time something like this has happened to him.

“I’ve had seven years of doing that same warmup routine, and there’s only been like three occasions where there’s been a kicker that wasn’t moving out of the way.

“It was in Baltimore all three times.”

Mahomes said he has a lot of respect for Tucker as a player and a kicker, saying he’s probably the best kicker of all time.

“At the same time, you’ve got to have respect for each team. We all share the field, and we try to do that in a respectful way.”

Kelce apologized to the kicker in a much spicier way than Mahomes.

“Justin, sorry if we took it to a level that you didn’t think it would get to that way. But if you’re going to be a d***, I guarantee you I can one-up you every time,” Kelce said.