This video probably won't do much to quell the recent wave of criticism directed at Travis Kelce.
Fans are blaming the Chiefs tight end for what appeared to be premature celebration after quarterback Patrick Mahomes' attempted touchdown pass was intercepted in the first half of Kansas City's win over Atlanta on Sunday.
In the clip shared by user @JCohen_NFL on Tuesday, Kelce, who has been the subject of much discussion about his slow start to the year, can be seen running toward the sideline as Mahomes throws the ball in the direction of tight end Noah Gray.
When Kelce raised his arms in response to a red-zone pass, the ball was intercepted by Falcons safety Justin Simmons.
“It pisses me off that Mahomes would throw a pass and Kelce would celebrate and then it would get intercepted,” user X wrote.
The social media comments continued from there: Posted by 1 X users“One of the funniest things I've seen this season” Meanwhile, another person opened fire. A trio of crying and laughing emojis.
Another user did Kelsey, 34, suggested he was “rather than celebrating, he had his hands up at the ball.”
X's post, including the video, had been viewed more than 2.1 million times as of Thursday.
Mahomes' first half interception was his only one of the night.
He completed 26 of 39 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the 22-17 victory.
Kelce had another quiet night, finishing with four receptions for 30 yards, but his somber demeanor on the sideline after the game stole the show.
Despite the constant talk about his performance, Kelce said on the “New Heights” podcast on Wednesday that he's focused on helping the Chiefs win as they seek a third straight Super Bowl title.
“I've made a lot of catches in this league. I don't care about the number of catches or the number of yards or anything like that. I'm most happy when the ball is thrown my way. Who wouldn't?” said the nine-time Pro Bowl selection.
“It's all about execution and just making sure we're doing everything we can to win football games. That's always going to be the goal.”
Kelce has eight receptions for 69 yards and zero touchdowns through three games.
He had five touchdowns and 93 receptions for 984 yards in 15 games last year, his first season since 2015 without eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards.
Members of the Chiefs remain adamant that Kelce's momentum isn't slowing down.
“I know they've said a lot of stuff about him being old, he gets distracted, etc. The defense doesn't think about that,” coach Andy Reid told reporters on Wednesday.
“There's another receiver on the other side of him that has more yards and more catches. That's the way it is. Trav is OK. He continues to be Trav. He works hard and he hasn't slowed down a step. He's not distracted. That's not the case. [Opposing defenses] Making sure he is well taken care of.”
The Chiefs (3-0) visit the Chargers (2-1) in Los Angeles on Sunday.
