Travis Kelce has arrived at Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs’ must-win game against the Houston Texans.
Kelce strolled in wearing a black jacket, black pants and black boots, pairing his outfit with some sunglasses despite it being a freezing cold night game.
He was greeted by some loved ones in the tunnel are and stopped to hug them and say hello. Kelce then embraced his mom, Donna, before walking into the locker room.
The Chiefs currently stand at 6-6 after a disappointing season and are currently on the outside looking in at the NFL’s playoff spots.
Although a defeat by the Texans would not automatically end their season, the Chiefs’ chances of reaching the postseason would drop to just 12 per cent, according to the NFL’s statistics.
Victory against the in-form Texans would raise their chances to 51 per cent, but they are still far from guaranteed to have a shot at reaching the Super Bowl. That would be a major disappointment for Andy Reid‘s team, given they have played in five of the last six Super Bowls – winning three.
Travis Kelce has arrived at the Kansas City Chiefs’ must-win game against the Houston Texans
It remains to be seen if Kelce’s fiancee, Taylor Swift, will be at the game. She has only made gameday appearances at Arrowhead Stadium so far this season and, even then, she has made discreet entrances into the Chiefs’ home amid security concerns.
Swift has not attended a Chiefs road game since their playoff win at the Baltimore Ravens in January 2024. The only time she has watched her man away from Arrowhead Stadium since then was last season’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Given how losing would all but see the Chiefs fail to make the postseason, scrutiny will inevitably fall upon Kelce and his future plans.
He is out of contract at the end of the campaign and, at the age of 36, will naturally be quizzed on if he wants to keep on playing.
While his team has struggled, Kelce has had an excellent individual season as he keeps Father Time at bay. He has five touchdowns and 719 receiving yards to his name so far, the second-most of any tight end in the 2025 campaign so far.
Kelce admitted earlier this week that the Chiefs are ‘fighting for their lives’ to reach the postseason after their Thanksgiving loss to Dallas Cowboys.
‘It’s tough to be part of this reality right now,’ Kelce admitted. ‘We are 6-6 and we are fighting for our lives to find a way into the playoffs.
‘What’s real is that we still have a chance, baby, and that’s all that f***ing matters to me. We have got a chance and we keep coming to work with the mentality and the sense of urgency that we need to have to get this s*** fixed.’
It’s set to be a cold one in Kansas City when Sunday Night Football begins against the Texans, with temperatures dropping to 20 degrees.
‘My kind of football, baby. My kind of football,’ Kelce said. ‘Especially after a weekend of rest. Go out there, fly around on the ice man. That’s why I love those games more.
‘Something about being in the cold and sweating, I feel my most athletic self. I don’t klnow why that feels like my sanctuary. It hits those lungs a little different.
‘The beauty of football you get to play in all elements, especially at Arrowhead. Hopefully we come away with a f***ing win against a really good football team.’
The Chiefs star also repeated his belief that, after watching the Cowboys loss back, his men are just a few plays away from clicking into top gear.
‘I’m sure everyone is sick of us saying it but we’re a few plays away form being a one seed in my mind,’ he explained. ‘And maybe that’s a bit extreme.
‘All the losses are within one score and there’s a handful of plays within those games that are determining the outcome.
‘It’s plays like my drop against the Eagles, it’s penalties that are keeping us behind the sticks.
‘It’s coming away with three points instead of touchdowns in some games. It’s crazy, you watch the film and you see what’s real and what’s real is we are this f***ing close.’
After the Texans, the Chiefs have another blockbuster showdown against AFC West rivals Los Angeles Chargers – also at Arrowhead.
Showdowns against the Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos on Christmas Day and Las Vegas Raiders round out the regular season for the Chiefs.
