The Kansas City Chiefs’ turbulent 2025 campaign hit another low on Sunday with a frustrating loss to the Houston Texans. Despite solid performances on both sides of the ball throughout the year, Kansas City has struggled to close out games, a pattern that now has them sitting at 6–7.
Against Houston, the spotlight fell squarely on star tight end Travis Kelce, and not for the reasons the Chiefs hoped. Kelce, who has been a bright spot all season, delivered his worst outing yet, while also dropping a pivotal pass that turned into an interception. The interception proved costly, drawing scathing criticism from NFL analyst Craig Carton.
Craig Carton Blasts Travis Kelce’s Behavior After Chiefs’ Loss to Texans
The Chiefs found themselves in a must-have situation late in the fourth quarter, trailing the Houston Texans 17–10. With the game hanging in the balance, Patrick Mahomes turned to his most reliable target on consecutive plays. Kelce hauled in the first pass for an eight-yard gain, but on the next snap, disaster struck.
As Kelce tried to turn upfield before fully securing the ball, it slipped through his grasp and went straight into the hands of Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Houston capitalized immediately, marching downfield for a field goal that extended the lead to 20–10 with just 30 seconds left.
The camera soon found Kelce on the bench — eyes closed, silent, and visibly disappointed — as the moment quickly went viral across social media.
Already disappointed with his performance, the Chiefs’ tight end avoided speaking with reporters after the loss, a decision that drew even sharper criticism. Radio Hall of Famer Craig Carton delivered the harshest assessment of the night, calling out both the drop and what he viewed as Kelce’s lack of accountability.
“Travis Kelce acted like a b****…You’d think a guy who has had his a** kissed to KC and back by the media, would at least have the backbone, and manly DNA to show up to a press conference after the game. He’s done. He’s washed, and half the time he looks disinterested. He had a single catch last night,” Carton said.
Kelce was targeted five times, catching only one pass and committing the turnover that sealed Kansas City’s fate. However, before Sunday, he had been one of the league’s most productive tight ends, hauling in 59 receptions on 78 targets for 719 yards and five touchdowns, and ranking sixth in PFSN’s TE Impact metric.
The Chiefs played like a desperate team against Houston, trying to extend their dynasty another year, but Mahomes was intercepted three times, and Kansas City turned the ball over on downs two times in their own territory, including being stopped inside their own 35 in a tied game.
At 6–7, Kansas City’s playoff hopes are now on life support, and they must win out to remain in contention for a wildcard berth. Per PFSN’s Playoff Predictor, the Chiefs have just a 5.4% chance of reaching the postseason.
