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Justin Tucker managed to rile up the Chiefs prior to the AFC Championship game, and now, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have addressed the situation that unfolded ahead of that showdown.
It’s pretty easy to understand why NFL teams warm up on opposite sides of the field before a game. There’s nothing stopping players from wandering into enemy territory to exchange pleasantries, but it makes sense to keep the squads fairly segregated to ward off unnecessary territorial disputes.
With that said, kickers usually get the chance to practice on both sides of the field to get a feel for how the wind is swirling around each of the goalposts, and Justin Tucker claimed he’d “never really had a problem” with opposing players before running into one when the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against his Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Tucker was spotted exchanging some words with Patrick Mahomes before Travis Kelce decided to toss some of the kicker’s equipment away from the area where he’d set up shop, and those two men got the chance to respond to what unfolded as they gear up for Super Bowl LVIII.
On Tuesday, the Kansas City quarterback told ESPN he thought Tucker went out of his way to “get under our skin,” saying:
“I asked him to move his stuff and he got up and moved it I think two inches but didn’t move it out of the way. I was going to let it slide but Travis moved it for me and after that I wasn’t going to let him put it back down…
He’s one of the best kickers of all time—probably the best kicker of all time. At the same time, you’ve got to have respect for each team.”
Kelce also got the chance to chime in during the most recent installment of the New Heights podcast, and he asserted Tucker violated the unwritten rule of wandering onto the other side of the field, saying:
“If you want to be a f—ing d–k about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f—ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up….If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.
Justin came out and he said it was more of a joking gesture; kind of fun, competitive. I get it. He was kind of winking at me, being a d—k about it, trying to get under the skin. I get it…We just weren’t in a joking mood. We were ready to get after it.
So, Justin, sorry if we took it to a level you that didn’t think it would get to, but if you’re going to be a d–k, I promise you I can one-up you every time.”
The tight end also echoed his teammate by saying he thinks Tucker is the best kicker the NFL has ever seen, so while things may have gotten a bit testy in the moment, it seems like everyone involved is ready to move on.