Skip Bayless says Andy Reid ‘sold coaching soul’ by not punishing Travis Kelce after Super Bowl meltdown
KANSAS, MISSOURI: Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been widely criticized for being soft on Travis Kelce following his Super Bowl meltdown.
Travis Kelce yelled something offensive at Reid but it never aired, sparking accusations that the Chiefs coach covered it up.
Travis Kelce shoved and yelled at Andy Reid in front of millions of viewers
The Chiefs tight end lost his cool when he was left out of a play that resulted in a fumble by Isiah Pacheco in the second quarter of the Super Bowl.
He slammed his helmet to the ground and then confronted his head coach, pushing and shouting at him. The incident was witnessed by millions of viewers, but the audio of what Kelce said was never revealed.
Kelce was wearing a mic for the game, but the NFL Films show Inside the NFL, which aired on Tuesday, February 20, after the Super Bowl, did not include the clip of his outburst.
A report by the New York Post suggested that the Chiefs and Reid himself had intervened to prevent the audio from going public. It prompted analyst Skip Bayless to take a swipe at Reid.
Skip Bayless slams Andy Reid for ‘selling his soul’ and not disciplining Travis Kelce
FOX Sports analyst Skip Bayless, who is known for his controversial opinions, was quick to criticize Reid for his handling of the situation.
He tweeted that Reid had "sold his coaching soul" by not punishing Kelce for his "verbally and physically abusive" behavior.
"Good story in the NY Post by Ryan Glasspiegel indicates the Chiefs managed to keep NFL Films audio of Travis Kelce attacking Andy Reid from airing anywhere," he wrote.
Good story in the NY Post by Ryan Glasspiegel indicates the Chiefs managed to keep NFL Films audio of Travis Kelce attacking Andy Reid from airing anywhere. No surprise. Kelce was verbally as well as physically abusive. No punishment. Andy sold his coaching soul for that SBowl.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 21, 2024
"No surprise. Kelce was verbally as well as physically abusive. No punishment. Andy sold his coaching soul for that SBowl," he added.
Bayless implied that Reid had sacrificed his authority and dignity for the sake of winning the Super Bowl, which the Chiefs did by defeating the 49ers 31-20, Daily Mail reported.
Travis Kelce and Andy Reid downplayed the meltdown
Kelce and Reid, both of them brushed it off as a minor issue after the game.
Kelce refused to disclose what he said to Reid but claimed that he was just expressing his love for him.
In a post-game interview, Kelce said, "Ah, you guys saw that? I’m gonna keep it between us unless my mic’d up tells the world,’ he said. ‘I was just telling him how much I love him."
Reid, who is 65 years old and had recently undergone hip surgery, joked that Kelce "keeps him young," in an interview with CBS.
He said that Kelce was just eager to get back on the field and score. "He tested that hip out. He caught me off balance – normally, I’d give him a little bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me," Reid said.
"He was really coming over [and saying], “Just put me in, I’ll score. I’ll score.” So, that’s really what it was. I love that. It’s not the first time. I appreciate him,’" he added.
NFL legend Terry Bradshaw said he felt bad as Andy Ried had hip surgery
NFL legend Terry Bradshaw said he felt bad seeing Travis Kelce scream at coach Reid and almost knocked him down but also passed it as an accident.
I felt bad for Andy because Andy had hip surgery,' said Bradshaw. "I don't think he pushed him or anything. It was an accident, but it looked bad on television," he added.
Bradshaw went on to say that he texted Reid after the game and ended up surprised at how quickly he received a response.
"Nothing about Kelce," Bradshaw said of the text exchange with Reid, adding "Kelce felt bad and it's over. They won the football game."
