- Kelce was briefly forced off the field after slipping on the turf and twisting his ankle.
- But Taylor Swift’s new pal finally returned to score a crucial touchdown
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Patrick Mahomes insists Travis Kelce proved he’s “one of the greatest” by breaking through the pain barrier to inspire the Chiefs’ victory over the Vikings on Sunday night.
Kelce, whose new love Taylor Swift opted not to attend his latest NFL outing, limped during the second quarter in Minneapolis after slipping on the turf and twisting his ankle.
Despite being listed as a questionable return, the Chiefs tight end returned to the field after the halftime break and later scored a game-winning touchdown.
The visitors took a 14-point lead at US Bank Stadium when Kelce caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes with 2:45 left in the third quarter. He caught the pass just in front of the goal line and dove into the end zone for his third touchdown of the season.
And after the game, Mahomes praised Kelce for “overcoming” his injury to help them earn a fourth straight victory.
Patrick Mahomes insists Travis Kelce proved he’s ‘one of the greatest’ in Chiefs’ win over Vikings on Sunday night
Kelce caught a game-winning touchdown after briefly limping out of the game
But there were no signs of romantic interest for Taylor Swift, who opted not to attend another match.
“I feel like Travis has the same mindset as me,” the 28-year-old told reporters. “If you give him a window to get back in the game, he’s going to get back in the game.
“Competitor, man. That’s why he’s one of the greatest, that he can fight in situations like that. And he came back and made a lot of great shots for us.
When asked if he talked to Kelce during halftime, Mahomes joked, “I don’t like talking to Travis when he’s hurting, because he’s a mean guy…”
“I didn’t speak to him at half-time. I kind of peaked and looked at Rick (Burkholder) and asked “how are we feeling?” And he said he was going to try to see if we could go.
As Kelce watched the first possession of the third quarter from the sideline, Mahomes led the Chiefs 75 yards in 11 plays for the game-clinching touchdown pass to Rashee Rice.
“He just said, ‘Give me a minute. Let me see what I can do here,” coach Andy Reid said.
Kelce was then back on the next drive and certainly made his presence felt – with five catches on a 74-yard, 11-play drive.
“I have these moments where I’m like, ‘I’m about to get crushed,’ and I look and 87 is on the loose,” Mahomes added.
Mahomes heaped praise on teammate Kelce after his game-winning contribution
The Chiefs tight end had five catches on a 74-yard, 11-play march after returning to the field.
“He’s been with me for a long time. He knows how to open up as soon as he gets the chance.
Most of the pregame anticipation in Minnesota was centered around Swift, who set the internet on fire by attending Kelce and the Chiefs’ previous two games amid his burgeoning new relationship with the tight end.
However, despite much excitement over his potential appearance, the pop sensation decided against participating in a third straight NFL outing at US Bank Stadium.