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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was given a five-figure fine one week before Super Bowl LIX.
Kelce was fined $11,255 for taunting during the Chiefs' 32-29 win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium, which clinched their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance and fifth in six years. The three-time Super Bowl champion was seen getting into the face of Bills safety Damar Hamlin after Hamlin tackled Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after Mahomes had already crossed the goal line for a touchdown.
Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips was also fined $6,722 for headbutting Kelce during the skirmish, which resulted in an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Kelce fell backward and raised his hands, signaling that he wanted a call from the referees, which led to CBS Sports lead NFL analyst Tony Romo accusing him of flopping.
“Kelce knows how to get under your skin,” Romo said during the game's live broadcast. “… And Phillips comes in, [Kelce] tries for the flop.”
The Chiefs recent dynasty, which has coincided with Mahomes and Kelce emerging as two of the NFL's most recognizable stars, has also been met with negativity from other fanbases, specifically regarding calls that the team has benefitted from in the postseason. Kansas City have never been penalized more than its opponents, having been flagged less than 10 times in their last 11 playoff games, while 10 of their opponents have been flagged at least 10 times, since 2021.
Additionally, Kansas City was called for an average of 5.4 penalties per game during the 2024 NFL regular season, which was the fewest of all 32 teams. The Chiefs had, however, accumulated more penalty yards than their opponents in 38 of 65 regular season games (55.9%).
The New York Jets, who finished with a 5-12 record, were the most penalized team in the NFL during the 2024 at 8.1 flags per game, the highest per-game average of any team since the 2019 season. The Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, which was played two years prior.
Kansas City defeated Philadelphia, 38-35, with Mahomes claiming his second of three Super Bowl MVPs.
