Andy Reid and Travis Kelce were caught in a heated sideline confrontation in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the New York Giants on Sunday.
The tense exchange occurred during one of the first-half commercial breaks of “Sunday Night Football” but was aired after the broadcast returned to the game.
In the clip, Reid is seen bumping Kelce with his shoulder as the two engage in a heated conversation.
“We’ve seen them before kind of get heated there, but you can sense the frustration on both sides of that story,” broadcaster Mike Tirico said during the broadcast.
In her halftime interview with Reid, sideline reporter Melissa Stark noted the emotion seen by Kelce and asked the head coach about his message to the team.
“That’s OK. We need some juice, so that’s good,” Reid said.
Reid was asked about his exchange with Kelce in his postgame press conference.
“I love Travis’ passion, so I’m OK with that,” Reid said. “We didn’t have enough of it the second quarter, wasn’t where we needed to be. So within reason, he knows when to back off the pedal and knows when to push it, too. That’s part of what I love about him. The guy’s all-in. Just sometimes I have to be the policeman.”
A reporter followed up and asked if that moment was the result of Reid being bothered by a play or if he was trying to get something out of his tight end.
Reid brushed it off.
“He was all-in. Listen, he’s an emotional guy. He’s Irish,” he said.
The head coach, who has coached Kelce the entirety of the tight end’s career, acknowledged Kelce’s passion for the game and their shared history.
“Don’t make too much of it. He’s a passionate guy and I love that part,” Reid said. “I’ve been through a lot of things with him, so that’s all part of it. I love that he loves to play the game. That’s what I love and it’s an emotional game, so I’ll take it.”
This was the second consecutive week an angry Kelce was seen on the sideline. Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce threw down his helmet and yelled at the bench.
Kelce was “trying to get guys fired up and going,” Reid told reporters after that game.
Sunday wasn’t the first time Reid and Kelce had a heated sideline exchange caught on camera, either.
Two years ago in the Super Bowl, Kelce pushed Reid and yelled in the coach’s face. The Chiefs went on to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22.
The Chiefs now have their first win of the season and will host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.