Tight end Travis Kelce isn’t one to mince words, and when he’s not happy about something on the field, or off, he speaks his mind. Now, the NFL has picked the referee for the Kansas City Chiefs‘ game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, November 2, and this referee has a controversial history with Kelce.
The Chiefs are coming off a 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday, October 27, which marked their fifth win of the season. The victory also gave them a 5-3 record going into Week 9, while the Bills are 5-2.
It was a big game for Kelce. He earned his 80th career regular-season touchdown pass and he tied Priest Holmes for the most regular-season touchdowns in Kansas City Chiefs history. According to NFL research, he also registered his 83rd total touchdown in the regular season, something only Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez have done prior to Kelce. Including the postseason, Kelce also notched his 100th touchdown. But, will Kelce see those kinds of numbers on Sunday against the Bills?
Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills Have a Referee
The head referee for Sunday’s game, according to a report from Football Zebras, is Carl Cheffers. He and Kelce have a past.
After the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2016 playoff loss to the Steelers, Kelce had some choice words about the officiating crew during his postgame media availability, and singled out Cheffers.
“Ref No. 51 [Cheffers] shouldn’t even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again,” Kelce said. “He shouldn’t even be able to work at … Foot Locker.”
“For it to end like that, with the referee literally taking it out of our hands, that hurts,” Kelce added. “You try to play this game with integrity, to the end of the whistle, and when the refs want to take over the game and make it their own platform, there’s nothing you can do about it. That wasn’t a hold on my guy Eric Fisher. I hope [Fisher] doesn’t go the entire offseason thinking it was his fault. That was … flat out.”
Later, Kelce was fined $12,500 for his postgame remarks and even apologized to Cheffers. “Carl, I apologize for saying it in that manner,” he said. So, it’s water under the bridge, but these two meet again.
Patrick Mahomes Gives Props to Travis Kelce
After the Commanders win, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had some kind words for Kelce. “He’s the true Chiefs Chief,” Patrick Mahomes said after the win, according to the NFL. “He is the guy that has been here through the whole thing. Been here with (head) coach (Andy) Reid the entire time. He has helped set the culture, you know?”
He added that Kelce “helped set the culture of what it means to play for Coach Reid and to play in Kansas City and I was able to come in and then have that guy to rely on.”
That culture will be put to the test on Sunday against one of the Chiefs’ biggest rivals: the Buffalo Bills. Following the game, the Chiefs will enjoy their NFL bye week in Week 10.
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