The chances for the Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs took a significant hit with a 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans on “Sunday Night Football.”
The defeat dropped the Chiefs to 6-7 on the season. Kansas City is now tied with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins for ninth place in the AFC with four games remaining in the regular season.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had a rough night, recording just one reception for eight yards. He had a crucial drop in the fourth quarter that led to an interception by Texans linebacker Al-Shaair.
The Texans made a field goal seven plays later to take a 20-10 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the game.
Following the game, Kelce made an unusual decision not to speak with the media, declining interviews twice after the loss, per Jesse Newell.
Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, all players are required by the league to speak to the media after games unless they are in the concussion protocol. It has not been reported that Kelce was in the concussion protocol.
Florio suggested that Kelce could be fined for not speaking to the media, though tight end was not punished for a similar decision earlier in the season.
“It’s not the first time Kelce has declined to talk this year, either after a game or during the week,” Florio wrote. “(All players must be available once during the days preceding each game, at a podium or in the locker room.)
“Players have been fined in the past, if/when the failure to comply with media obligations becomes chronic, and if the media covering the team complains about it. Sometimes, the media doesn’t make waves.”
Kelce’s decision not to speak to the media after a troubling loss to the Texans did make waves, and a fine could be coming.
Former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch claimed he was fined over $1 million during his NFL career for not fulfilling his media obligations.