Travis Kelce sparks controversy after “unacceptable” behavior during the Super Bowl

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Travis Kelce is facing criticism after he pushed his Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid in an angry exchange during Super Bowl LVIII.

Star tight end Kelce will end his night in Las Vegas with another Super Bowl title as he celebrated with girlfriend Taylor Swift after the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime.

Kelce made several key plays in helping the Chiefs come back from behind late, providing a reliable target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes to win his third Super Bowl in five seasons.

But when the 49ers were leading at halftime, it looked as if Kelce's night would be defined by the scrimmage with Reid as the tight end exploded at the Chiefs coach at the end of the second quarter.

The Chiefs were down 3-0 when the team lost the ball near the 49ers' end zone, and Kelce was angry with Reid after the coach elected to take him out of the play.

Kelsey Reid stormed off and stormed over to the 65-year-old coach, yelling at him. Reid briefly lost his balance and turned away from Kelce while his player continued to scream angrily.

Kelce had to be pulled away by a team-mate and taken to the sideline to calm down, with the 34-year-old banging his helmet on the bench in anger. After halftime, Kelce was one of the players of the game and finished with 93 receiving yards, but when the incident occurred he was limited to just one yard by the 49ers defense.

Kelce, who shared a kiss on the field with Swift during the Chiefs celebrations, downplayed the incident afterward.

“Man, I was excited — I was excited because we weren't hitting on all cylinders,” he told ESPN.

“I had to give Big Red a love tap and tell him we're all here fighting for him no matter what. I just had to tell him I loved him real quick.”

“I have a lot of confidence in him and the way he carries himself as a head coach, as a leader – he's one of the best leaders in the game.

“I can't thank him enough for giving me opportunities year after year. This is the third, this is the second in a row, and this is for him without a doubt.”

Speaking to reporters, Kelce added: “I have the greatest coach this game has ever seen.

“He helped me so much in channeling those emotions, channeling that passion and I owe my entire career to this guy and being able to control how emotional I am. I just love him.”

Reed also downplayed the incident and appeared to make light of the situation. “It keeps me young,” the veteran NFL coach joked to CBS. He tested this hip. “He lost my balance – normally I would give him a little bit but you know, I didn't have any feet under me.”

Kelce confirmed in his post-game speech during the trophy presentation ceremony that he will return to the Chiefs next season to target a historic “three-peat.”

However, some NFL fans were not impressed with Kelce's behavior towards Reed and criticized the 34-year-old for showing disrespect towards the veteran coach. Kelsey's actions have been labeled “unacceptable” and “out of order” in online fan comments.

Kelce's relationship with Swift dominated much of the buildup to Super Bowl LVIII and the music icon appeared on screen throughout the game as she watched in Las Vegas.

One of the biggest stars in the NFL, Kelce's fame has exploded since he started dating Swift late last year and their relationship has brought a new wave of attention to the game.

However, this is not the first time Kelce has been involved in a moment of controversy while in the league. Kelce has been hit with thousands of dollars in fines following “unsportsmanlike conduct” incidents during his career, including when he lost his temper in front of a referee over a close call during a game in 2016.

Kelce has also received penalties for taunting opposing players, and in 2014 was accused of making an “immature” hand gesture toward a referee during a game against the Denver Broncos.