Travis Kelce doesn’t just dislike the NFL’s new kickoff rule. The Chiefs tight end hates it . . . with a passion.
Kelce is the latest member of the Chiefs to blast the rule that will allow teams to fair catch kickoffs to get the ball at the 25-yard line. Punter Tommy Townsend and coach Andy Reid made their opposition to the rule change clear earlier this week.
Kelce was even more effusive.
“I think this is absolutely stupid,” Kelce said Thursday on the New Heights podcast he does with his brother, Jason, via Charles Goldman of USA Today. “I don’t think this is making the game safer. I think it’s making it more boring and taking a lot of excitement out of the game’s opening play.
“Boo. It’s whack, and it’s taking away from the excitement of a kickoff. I love watching opening kickoffs.”
Kelce wasn’t done. His rant lasted more than a minute.
“It just deflates the excitement of the first kickoff,” Kelce said. “It’s exciting and then you see that first, like contact. You hear it. Everybody is just running full speed at each other. Heads are banging. Guys are running full speed at each other and then a guy gets close-lined and does a backflip. And you’d like, ‘FOOTBALL! THIS IS ELECTRIC.’ and you’re just going to f---ing turn it into, ‘Bloop, place the ball at the 25-yard line. Let’s get the quarterback out here.’”
The rule is for 2023, so Kelce is among those hoping for a one-and-done.