FOXBORO, Mass. — Travis Kelce made his admiration for New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick quite clear after the Kansas City Chiefs earned a 27-17 win at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
Belichick and Kelce exchanged a postgame handshake with the future Hall of Fame head coach providing what looked to be some words of respect for the star tight end.
“I just got all the respect in the world for that guy,” Kelce said of Belichick after the game. “Every single time I go up against him, it’s the toughest job in the NFL to go up against a Belichick defense. He throws so much at you, he always has a lot of guys that can play smart.
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“Hats off to Belichick for today, for making my life tough that’s for damn sure. And on top of that always getting a good group of guys that play well together. I got a lot of respect for that team.”
Kelce, who finished with five catches on seven targets for 28 yards, was not the only one to share his respect for Belichick. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes did the same.
The fact Belichick and Kelce might have squared off for the final time at Gillette Stadium should not be overlooked, either. Belichick’s future with the Patriots remains in doubt after New England dropped to 3-11 on the campaign.
Football fans have received conflicting reports about Belichick’s future. NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran reported owner Robert Kraft has made his decision to part ways with Belichick at season’s end. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, though, contradicted that report and said Kraft had yet to make his decision.
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The thought it might be the last time Kelce faces Belichick at Gillette Stadium is weird to think about, the Chiefs star said.
“The fact you just said that, I mean yeah, that’s wild to even think about,” Kelce said. “But I got a feeling that guy has some football left in him.”
In the short term, Belichick and the Patriots have three regular-season games remaining. New England will travel to the Denver Broncos for a Week 16 contest on Christmas Eve.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
