Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce Makes Bold Claim On 2025 Team
In the face of a frustrating 5-5 season start, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce remains unwaveringly confident in his squad. Despite the team sitting at .500 through Week 11 of the 2025 season, Kelce made a bold declaration on the latest episode of his New Heights podcast, stating he would choose this year’s roster over the 2024 team that finished with a dominant 15-2 record and an AFC title.
When asked by his brother and co-host, Jason Kelce, which version of the Chiefs he would bet on in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Travis didn’t hesitate. “I’m taking this year’s,” he affirmed, signaling a belief that the current roster’s potential outweighs its recent performance.
Frustration Mounts as the Kansas City Chiefs Sit at .500
While Kelce’s confidence is high, he didn’t shy away from the reality of the team’s current situation. The Chiefs find themselves in unfamiliar territory, trailing both the Denver Broncos (9-2) and the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) in the AFC West standings. For a team accustomed to running the table, fighting for playoff viability midway through the season is a sobering experience.
“It’s frustrating because it’s gotten to the point where we’re 5-5,” Kelce admitted. “We’re .500 going into the back end of the schedule here. Got seven games left, and we’ve basically got to run the table. And I haven’t been in this situation in a long, long time.”
The tight end emphasized that the frustration stems not from a lack of ability, but from knowing exactly how high the ceiling is for this group. “It’s even more frustrating knowing the kind of guys that we have, knowing the kind of talent that we have, knowing the type of coaches that we’ve had. Everyone’s gotta just kind of look themselves in the mirror.”
Self-Inflicted Wounds and Late-Game Woes
A major difference between the 2024 championship-caliber squad and the 2025 iteration has been the inability to close out tight games. The Chiefs are currently 0-5 in games decided by one score, a stark contrast to their 12-0 record in similar situations last year.
This trend continued in their recent loss to the Broncos, where Patrick Mahomes and the offense failed to capitalize on a late-game possession with the score tied, eventually losing on a field goal. Despite statistical improvements in scoring and turnover margin compared to last season, the results haven’t followed.
“It feels like it’s all self-inflicting,” Kelce explained regarding the team’s struggles in crucial moments. “It feels like the answers are right there in front of us, and we’ve just got to f–king do it.”
The Path Forward
With the AFC West title likely out of reach, the Chiefs’ focus shifts entirely to securing a Wild Card berth. The road ahead is challenging, requiring the team to correct its course immediately. Kelce pointed to the offense as the unit that needs to step up, particularly in supporting a defense that has been put in difficult positions.
“We’re going to have to put up points to help our defense,” Kelce stated bluntly. “Last week, we didn’t do that. This week, it’s about time we put it together.”
The Chiefs will look to spark a turnaround this Sunday in a crucial Week 12 matchup against the high-scoring Indianapolis Colts. For Kelce and Kansas City, the talent is there—now it’s just a matter of proving it on the scoreboard.
