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Travis Kelce mocks Patrick Mahomes, tells his side of behind-the-back pass 'mistake'

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz08/17/24NickSchultz_7
patrick mahomes travis kelce f1
Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports

Even in the preseason, Patrick Mahomes is a magician. The Kansas City Chiefs star made another highlight-reel play during Saturday’s preseason game against the Detroit Lions when he found Travis Kelce with an incredible behind-the-back pass.

Later, Mahomes called it a “mistake” rather than a planned play. He said he did it out of spite because Kelce ran the wrong route.

In a separate in-game interview, Kelce disagreed. He said he couldn’t hear the initial play – doing an impression of Mahomes in the process – and said it turned out to be a spur-of-the-moment move.

“It wasn’t a play? No, it was a play. It was a first down,” Kelce said. “You know he’s got the voice thing … so he kinda mumbled out the play. I couldn’t hear it. I was walking up to the line, I was trying to decipher what he was saying. Before I knew it, he snapped the ball. Then, I kind of saw him out of my peripheral run to the sideline, so I was trying to go help my guy out.

“By the time I looked over there, he was already in mid-form like a photo on a sports card throwing the ball to me. It was, I guess, right place at the right time.”

The play ended up leading to a first down and further showed Mahomes’ improv abilities and his connection with Kelce. But he stood by the fact Kelce ran the wrong route.

“Long story short, Travis didn’t run the route he was supposed to run,” Mahomes said of Kelce’s mistake. “And then it was a behind-the-back pass kind of because I was mad. I was pissed off at Travis. He was supposed to run a flat route – I don’t know if you could hear me on the broadcast, I’m yelling at him. And then, he doesn’t run it. So out of spite, I threw a behind-the-back pass. But now, it’s gonna be a highlight.”

As for whether it was planned, Mahomes made it clear he couldn’t plan to throw that behind-the-back pass. He said it has to be a quick decision in the moment.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say to everybody. It can’t be planned,” Mahomes said. “It’s got to naturally happen in the groove of things.

“I actually forgot about it until halftime. Someone actually brought it up to me. It wasn’t like I planned that at all or it wasn’t a called play. It just kinda happened.”