The fine adds to the pressure as the Chiefs aim for a third consecutive Super Bowl, with Kelce embracing his role as a controversial figure among fans.
Taylor Swift celebrates with Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs after defeating the Buffalo Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City.(Getty Images via AFP)
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has been fined $11,255 by the NFL for taunting Buffalo Bills players during last Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. The penalty comes as the Chiefs prepare for their third straight Super Bowl appearance, adding an unexpected setback for the veteran tight end in the final stretch before the big game.
Travis Kelce punished by NFL ahead of Superbowl
The incident took place late in the first half when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes rushed for a touchdown, only to be tackled by Bills safety Damar Hamlin as he crossed the goal line. Kelce, 35, quickly got in Hamlin’s face, an act deemed unsportsmanlike by the league.
Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips was also fined $6,722 for his role in the altercation, as his headbutt to Kelce resulted in an unnecessary roughness penalty, NY Post reports. The moment drew commentary from CBS analyst Tony Romo, who accused Kelce of flopping after the helmet-to-helmet collision.
“Kelce knows how to get under your skin,” Romo told Jim Nantz on the broadcast. “… And Phillips comes in, [Kelce] tries for the flop.”
Travis Kelce relishing ‘new villain era’
Travis Kelce, while enjoying the celebrity spotlight thanks to his relationship with Taylor Swift, is also embracing his role as a villain among NFL fans outside of Kansas City.
Many fans are tired of the Chiefs’ dominance and recent Super Bowl wins, even suggesting they receive preferential treatment from officials.
Kelce, however, welcomes the negativity, believing it brings the team closer together. He recognises the Chiefs’ remarkable success—three Super Bowl wins in five years, with the chance of a three-peat, but insists the team is staying focused on the here and now, not on the potential to make history.
“I love it. At one point in time, it wasn’t (like) that,” Travis said on Wednesday’s podcast. Discussing the situation with his brother Jason, he continued, “I was the, ‘Do you feel bad for them guys.’ I’m enjoying doing this work with the guys we have in there because it makes us even more of a family. You just circle the wagons. When people are saying whatever they want, you’re just banded together and it just makes you appreciate more what you have because people want what you have.”