Travis Kelce Defends Referees After AFC Championship Criticism

Travis Kelce recently shared his views on NFL referees during a virtual appearance on his brother Jason Kelce’s "They Call It Late Night" show ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl. The discussion took place on February 1, as both brothers spoke about the Kansas City Chiefs' recent game with the Buffalo Bills, US Weekly reported.

"Be honest, if [the Kansas City Chiefs] would have lost, would you be here right now?" asked Jason, 37. Travis, aged 35, replied that he would have "100 percent" appeared in person if the Chiefs had lost the AFC Championship game, which Kansas City narrowly won 32-29. This victory secured the team's third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

Jason joked about Bills quarterback Josh Allen, saying, "Dammit, Josh, why’d you have to ruin this?" Travis quickly defended Allen, stating he "played his tail off," and shifted the conversation to referees. When Jason quipped about the officials, Travis stated, "What? I thought it was fair," indicating his impartiality towards the officiating.

Throughout the 2024-2025 season, fans have accused NFL officials of showing bias toward the Chiefs, the reigning champions who seek to win their thirdSuper Bowl. Previously, Kansas City secured two consecutive wins in 2023 and 2024.

Support for the Chiefs has come from other team members. Mitch Holthus, the Chiefs' longtime radio announcer, dismissed the claims of preferential treatment in a social media statement. He pointed out statistics highlighting that Kansas City ranked 17th for scoring drives aided by penalties this regular season. Buffalo, on the other hand, was ranked first, as indicated by 33% of their scoring drives being assisted by penalties.

Currently, the Chiefs are preparing for the upcoming Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9, where they’ll face the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of the 2023 game. Travis noted, "This team still feels hungry and it feels new almost," mentioning that many new players have joined the roster since the last two Super Bowl victories.

Travis acknowledged the offensive line has developed a "new mindset" ahead of the big game, while the defensive squad continues to be "pretty stout." He stressed, "It’s a new journey," indicating a fresh outlook for the team.

Later in the segment, he remained discreet about the Chiefs' game plan and whether he would handle the kickoff coin toss. As a team captain, Travis joked, "I can neither confirm nor deny," humorously adding, "I think it’s going to be heads or tails."

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