When they play at Arrowhead on Sunday, the Super Bowl champs will look for retribution for the way the Denver Broncos humiliated Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs during their unexpected 24-9 victory last season.
It was Denver’s first victory over Kansas City since 2015. Additionally, it was the first time in Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes’ NFL career that he had lost to the Broncos. ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift blared through the speakers as the players left Empower Field at Mile High on that special day.
At a moment when Kelce’s relationship with Swift was becoming a hot topic in the NFL, the song selection further exacerbated Kansas City’s problems. Mahomes too felt terrible, later acknowledging that it was the worst he had ever experienced.
During the game, the two-time MVP was picked off twice instead of even managing to toss a touchdown. He acknowledged Denver as the superior team without offering any justifications
“Yeah, we weren’t down there too much today,” Mahomes said last year. “It’s the worst I felt walking out of the stadium.
“It’s a great environment and I actually have a lot of fun playing here. They love the game, they know the game. But it is what it is. They beat us. They were the better football team today and I give them their props.”
The Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII and kept the Lombardi Trophy despite the setback from the previous season. However, given that they are still undefeated, Mahomes won’t want to lose again. He and Kelce will be trying to retaliate when they play the Broncos on Sunday.
The Chiefs had a serious injury scare in Monday’s overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite being the only club that hasn’t lost this season. Mahomes needed help getting off the field after rolling his ankle during a touchdown pass, but he returned for their subsequent play.
“Well, when he was being carried off, I wasn’t too easy with it,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game. “I wasn’t sure exactly where he was going to be with it, but he might have the loosest ankles in America. I mean, it’s ridiculous how he can come back from those things, and then he’s mentally tough on top of it.”
Because the Chiefs had a shorter week, there were worries that Carson Wentz, the backup quarterback, may be used if Mahomes wasn’t allowed to start on Sunday. Mahomes, though, ruled out the idea that he could be unable to play in Week 10.
“I still have mobility in my ankle. I still did after this game, and so obviously you’ll sleep, probably get a little swelling tomorrow, short week, but you go in there and take care of it and be prepared to play next week,” Mahomes said.
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