Report: Travis Kelce, Chiefs Agree to Restructured Contract to Create Cap Space
Oct 18, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 16: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before kickoff against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs and tight end Travis Kelce agreed to a restructured contract Tuesday that will convert his 2022 base salary into a signing bonus.
Field Yates of ESPN reported the move will create an additional $3.5 million in cap space for the Chiefs.
Kansas City began the day with around $3.7 million in cap space. This move will give the front office a little breathing room as it looks to shore up the roster for a potential Super Bowl run.
The Chiefs could be among the contenders for Odell Beckham Jr. once he's cleared to play later this season. Beckham is expected to be out until at least Thanksgiving with a torn ACL suffered during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Beckham built a strong rapport with the Los Angeles Rams last season and has looked likely to return there once healthy, but the Chiefs still could be a player for the three-time Pro Bowler.
Kansas City could also explore a trade for Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, who could be traded before the Nov. 1 deadline as Carolina looks to rebuild its roster amid a 1-5 start. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has remained a solid option this season, but the Chiefs have not had a truly dynamic player in their backfield since Kareem Hunt's departure midway through the 2018 season.
More than anything, restructuring Kelce's contract gives the Chiefs a little bit of room to explore their options. Perhaps no deal comes to pass, but having that little bit of extra cap space could wind up paying huge dividends.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills were two of the best teams in the NFL last season, when they met in the AFC Divisional Round. That matchup turned out...
Patrick Mahomes Says Chiefs' Loss to Bills Will Be 'Good to Learn From'
Oct 17, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 16: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
Patrick Mahomes tried to remain positive following the Kansas City Chiefs' 24-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
"It’ll be good to learn from," the Chiefs star told reporters. "But right now it stinks for sure."
He added he's hopeful of seeing the Bills again down the line:
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: "We lost this time, but hopefully we'll have another chance to battle back and play them in the playoffs."
We might only be into Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season, but Sunday's meeting carried the kind of hype that's typically reserved for a clash between conference rivals near the end of the year.
there are still 12 weeks left in the season and the playoffs are a month long, that's enough time for the NFL to arrange a best-of-15 or so Bills-Chiefs series to determine who gets the AFC spot in the Super Bowl
The battle for the AFC is shaping up to be a two-horse race, and Buffalo drew first blood by going on the road and avenging their 2021 postseason loss to the Chiefs.
Kansas City, a franchise that has made the AFC title game in four straight years, won't be reaching for the panic button.
It wasn't as if Andy Reid's squad was out of Sunday's matchup from start to finish, either. The defense allowed 443 yards to Josh Allen and the Bills offense, yet Patrick Mahomes still had an opportunity to engineer a game-winning drive.
The Chiefs got the ball back with 1:04 on the clock, which seemed to be more than enough time for the 2018 MVP. Instead, he threw a backbreaking interception to Taron Johnson on the second play.
The Bills now have the inside track to win the conference, and a head-to-head victory over the Chiefs could prove very important when the dust settles on the regular season.
But it might be another toss-up if a playoff rematch is on the cards in a few months.
Bucs' Tom Brady Says Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Has 'Got a Great Career Ahead of Him'
Oct 3, 2022
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 2: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throws a pass during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium on October 2, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
As Tom Brady's legendary career winds down, he got a front-row seat for Patrick Mahomes at the apex of his powers Sunday night.
Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns against an interception to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over Brady's Buccaneers, earning plaudits from the future Hall of Famer in the process.
"I like Patrick a lot. Had a chance to be around him a little bit and obviously think he's a great player," Brady said after the game. "He's doing a great job for that team, and he's got a great career ahead of him. I'm always here to help anybody that I can. Anyone who is looking for advice. I've certainly seen a lot in the game, and I'm always happy to pass on information to others to hopefully see those guys maximize their potential."
"I like Patrick a lot...He's got a great career ahead of him."
Mahomes broke out a little bit of everything in the Super Bowl LV rematch, including a jaw-dropping flip-pass touchdown to Clyde-Edwards Helaire in the second quarter:
The victory won't completely atone for Mahomes' disappointing performance in the Super Bowl two years ago but likely provided some small measure of revenge. He was able to carve up Todd Bowles' defense with a series of well-thrown passes underneath to Travis Kelce and did not make a mistake until a garbage-time interception.
Brady threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns in his best passing performance of the season, but he found himself playing a game of desperate catchup and was never within single digits after the first quarter.
"You want to not like Tom, but he's just like the best guy," Mahomes told NBC's Maria Taylor prior to the game. "So, it's hard; it's hard to not like him. But to be able to play in golf tournaments, and him give me kind of advice and stuff like that. I mean, he's the GOAT. You want to learn from the best, and it's really cool to have that relationship with him."
Patrick Mahomes Sends LeBron James, Twitter into Frenzy as Chiefs Top Tom Brady, Bucs
Oct 3, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs throws a touchdown pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 (not pictured) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Tom Brady may be the GOAT, but Sunday belonged to the younger legend in the making.
Patrick Mahomes put on an absolute show and led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes finished 23-of-37for 249 yards, three touchdowns and one interception as Kansas City bounced back from a loss to the Indianapolis Colts and improved to 3-1.
Mahomes wasn't just impressive from a statistical standpoint.
He unleashed the full bag of tricks right from the start, directing touchdown drives on four of the Chiefs' first five possessions. Whether he was unleashing sidearm passes, throwing with defenders draped all over him or fitting passes through the tightest of windows, Tampa Bay's vaunted defense never had a chance.
Never was that clearer than Mahomes' second touchdown pass, which came on a jaw-dropping play as he scrambled to the right, evaded two potential sacks, flipped the ball to Clyde Edwards-Helaire right before he was hit and got social media buzzing in the process:
Patrick Mahomes scrambled 39.4 yards before finding Clyde Edwards-Helaire for a 2-yard TD.
Mahomes has thrown 4 TD passes in his career after scrambling 30+ yards. No other QB has more than one since 2018.#KCvsTB | Powered by @awscloudpic.twitter.com/DX2HvcJm3a
The touchdown was part of a dazzling performance from the Chiefs that also included a quick-strike touchdown to Travis Kelce after the Buccaneers fumbled on the opening kickoff, Edwards-Helaire scoring on a wildcat handoff from Jerick McKinnon and tight end Noah Gray scoring on a sneak play when he took the snap.
The second half didn't feature as many fireworks, but Mahomes did enough to keep Brady and Co. at bay with a touchdown pass to Jody Fortson and multiple field goal drives to put the finishing touches on his brilliant showing.
Next up is an AFC West showdown against the rival Las Vegas Raiders, so Mahomes will look to keep his magic rolling in another important contest.
Chiefs' Travis Kelce Passes Rob Gronkowski for 5th-Most Receiving Yards by TE
Oct 3, 2022
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) makes a touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is well on his way to becoming one of the best to ever play the position, and he continued his ascent up the record books on Sunday.
After making a catch in the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kelce moved past Rob Gronkowski for the fifth-most career receiving yards by a tight end:
Kelce set the mark for most single-season receiving yards by a tight end with 1,416 in 2020. His six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are also the most by a player at his position.
At 32 years old, Kelce's best days could still be ahead of him.
Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy Addresses Viral Patrick Mahomes Spat: 'Who Cares?'
Sep 29, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 30: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs talks with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy during the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Things did not exactly go as planned for the Kansas City Chiefs during their Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, but offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy doesn't think his heated exchange with quarterback Patrick Mahomes as they were headed into the halftime locker room was a big deal.
"So the exchange that we had?" he asked reporters Thursday. "Who cares? It really doesn't matter. Because when it's all said and done with, we're going to talk a minute or two later—and talk about exactly what we need to do. So there is no personal issue. You just keep it moving forward."
This exchange between Pat Mahomes and OC Eric Bieniemy 👀🍿
"If you heard the words, that wasn't—I don't know how it looked to you guys but that wasn't a confrontation at all," head coach Andy Reid told reporters. "That's not what it was."
It was easy to speculate that Mahomes was unhappy with Kansas City's decision to run out the clock instead of airing it out in an effort to score near the end of the first half. The Chiefs held a 14-10 lead at the time but ended up losing by three in the 20-17 defeat, so points at the end of the half would have proven useful.
For his part, Mahomes confirmed he wanted to be more aggressive, per ESPN's Adam Teicher:
"I wanted to go try to score. That's just who I am. We were in a tough situation. I believe it was second- or third-and -20, something like that, and probably the smart decision was to go to halftime. But I'm always going to want to score. I pretty much just said, 'Let me have a chance at it,' and he was just like, 'Let's get to the locker room and get to the next half.'
"I don't know if that's an altercation. That was the end of the conversation."
Yet Kansas City made a number of mistakes that likely contributed to the loss more than any lack of aggression at the end of the half.
Mahomes threw an interception on the team's final offensive snap, Matt Ammendola missed a chip-shot field goal in the fourth quarter and the offense turned it over on downs in Indianapolis territory in the third quarter.
In all, Mahomes ended up 20-of-35 for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception in an uncharacteristically mediocre offensive performance for the entire team.
The Chiefs will look to bounce back Sunday in a high-profile showdown against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Chiefs vs. Bucs Remains on Schedule; Will Move to Vikings' Stadium If Necessary
Sep 28, 2022
** FOR USE AS DESIRED WITH SUPER BOWL STORIES ** Raymond James Stadium, site of Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, is seen Wednesday Jan. 14, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
The NFL confirmed Sunday's Week 4 game
between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers remains on
track to take place at Raymond James Stadium in Florida despite
Hurricane Ian.
Jeff Miller, the league's executive
vice president of communications, provided the update Wednesday and
noted the Sunday Night Football matchup would be moved to the
Minnesota Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium if local authorities determine
it should be relocated, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Bucs are spending the practice week
at the Miami Dolphins' facilities after they relocated to the
southeastern part of Florida on Tuesday.
Hurricane Ian, which has nearly reached Category 5 status, was on track to make landfall on Florida's west
coast on Wednesday, according to CNN.
The Weather Channel forecast calls for
rain and wind in Tampa on Thursday before conditions start to clear throughout Friday. A mostly sunny weekend is expected.
With weather conditions slated to
improve, the ability to play Sunday's game at Raymond James Stadium
likely depends on the extent of the damage after the hurricane moves
out.
"Our thoughts and hearts go out to
everybody in Tampa that's still here," Bucs head coach Todd Bowles
told reporters Wednesday. "Hoping they recover well and it doesn't
hit them very hard. That's the biggest thing. What we do is really
small entertainment for people that go through a lot of rough
things."
It's unclear why the game would be
moved to Minnesota over Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Andy Slater of
Fox Sports 640 reported Monday the Dolphins' home stadium was made
available to the NFL as an option for Sunday night.
The Dolphins are on the road the next
two weeks, facing the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets. The next
event at their stadium is a college football game between North
Carolina and Miami on Oct. 8.
Regardless, U.S. Bank Stadium is also
available Sunday with the Vikings in London to face the New Orleans
Saints.
The NFL didn't provide a timetable for
a final decision about the Bucs-Chiefs game, which features a premier
quarterback matchup between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
Report: Chris Jones' Week 3 Penalty Result of 'Disturbing Language' Toward Matt Ryan
Sep 28, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 15: Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) before an NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on September 15, 2022 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NFL referee Shawn Smith provided some insight into why he flagged Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones for unsportsmanlike conduct during what turned out to be the game-winning drive for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3.
According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, Smith noted in the game report that Jones used "disturbing language" toward Colts quarterback Matt Ryan and that it has "no place in professional football."
The penalty helped extend Indy's drive, as the Chiefs had stopped the Colts on third down and likely would have forced a punt. Ryan went on to throw the go-ahead touchdown pass to rookie tight end Jelani Woods with 24 seconds left in a 20-17 upset.
Smith did not provide any specifics regarding what Jones said, nor did Jones divulge the particulars of the incident.
Per NFL Network's James Palmer, Jones took responsibility for the penalty while speaking to the media after the game but said he was "clearly surprised" the call was made. He said he was having a "conversation" with Ryan.
The Chiefs still had ample opportunities to stop the Colts after that, but Ryan and Co. methodically marched down the field, taking 8:14 off the clock during a 16-play, 76-yard drive.
Kansas City is known for doing some miraculous things with little time left on the clock, and while quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to get the Chiefs down to the Colts' 46-yard line in mere seconds, he was picked off with two seconds remaining to win the game.
That gave the Colts their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, moving them to 1-1-1, while the Chiefs lost for the first time in 2022 and fell to 2-1.
While Jones' penalty cost the Chiefs on Sunday, he remains one of their best and most impactful players.
The 28-year-old veteran is in the midst of his seventh NFL season with the Chiefs and is a three-time Pro Bowler. That includes last season, when he matched the second-highest sack total of his career with nine.
Jones has long been one of the league's best interior pass-rushers, as his 51.5 career sacks can attest to, and he will continue to be a key cog in the Chiefs' success regardless of what happened against the Colts.
Russell Wilson Looks Bad but Broncos Remain Contenders in Shocking Start for AFC West
Sep 26, 2022
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
The AFC West is the NFL's version of a great movie trailer that gets everyone excited, only to be disappointed once the film begins. Expectations can ruin the actual experience.
A supposed arms race took place this offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders traded for Davante Adams and signed Chandler Jones as a free agent. The Los Angeles Chargers brought in Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson and fortified their previously soft defensive interior.
The Kansas City Chiefs moved on from the likes of Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu but made sure to beef up the defense with the first-round draft selections of Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis. The Denver Broncos' made arguably the biggest move by acquiring future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks.
The Broncos' appalling 11-10 victory Sunday against the Jimmy Garoppolo-led San Francisco 49ers provided the perfect ending to an awful day for the division.
Yes, a win is a win. But not all wins are the same. And not all wins are good wins.
Denver played terribly throughout the night. Garoppolo's futility allowed the Broncos to escape with an underserved victory, which is becoming a regular occurrence against subpar competition.
Last week, the Broncos trailed the Houston Texans by three points entering the fourth quarter. The Texans are one of two winless teams currently found around the league.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are dealing with the fact they're now starting the quarterback they wanted to rid themselves of but didn't have a better option other than cutting his salary and having him serve as a backup.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 25: Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett throws a challenge flag after a punt play in the first half during a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on September 25, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
To underline how poorly Denver's offense played Sunday, the team went three-and-out on nine different occasions, which is the most by a Wilson-led offense during the quarterback's 11-year career.
During the team's initial 11 drives, Wilson averaged a putrid 5.4 air yards per attempt, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In total, the team has converted one of seven red zone trips into a touchdown so far this season.
In all fairness, some of the quarterback's old magic appeared with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter. With 10:12 left to play and down five points, Wilson completed five of seven passes and created with his legs to avoid pressure and pick up 12 yards on a crucial 3rd-and-6 at San Francisco's 36-yard line.
Even so, the sight of errant throws, miscommunication on routes and an inability to properly block the 49ers' defensive front shows how disjointed the Denver offense is at the moment.
"We're still all learning each other," Wilson told reporters. "We're so close. I've been a part of some good offenses, and I think we have a chance to be really, really great ... I'm excited because I can feel it—everything is just that close. And once we do, with our defense, we're going to be unstoppable, I think. We've got a chance."
A 2-1 record keeps the Broncos stride-for-stride with the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West. The current standings are more of an indictment of both teams than a reflection of quality performances.
Against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Kansas City found a way to lose. The Colts couldn't get their offense on track for most of the day. The Chiefs did an excellent job of confusing veteran quarterback Matt Ryan and his highly paid offensive line throughout the contest. Kansas City created multiple free runs at Ryan to disrupt Indianapolis' game plan.
Yet a missed field goal, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on defensive lineman Chris Jones after a successful third-down stop, and a Patrick Mahomes interception led to the Colts' comeback victory. All of this occurred after a minor sideline dustup between the quarterback and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws downfield during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
Ultimately, it's the little things. The Chiefs are still easing into their new offensive setup, and Mahomes took the blame for the loss in his postgame press conference.
"We've got to gel all together. It starts with me. There were certain throws I was putting on guys' back hips instead of in front of him. There were certain situations where we were just barely off of it ... Whenever you're playing a tough game like that, you have to execute at a higher level and we have to learn from it. Our schedule gets no easier. We have a hard game Sunday (against) Tampa next week with a great defense, so we have to get better quickly. And if we don't, we don't want these (losses) to start piling up. We want to make sure we get back on that winning train."
Meanwhile, the Chargers are dealing with multiple key injuries. Defensive end Joey Bosa didn't return during Los Angeles' 38-10 thumping at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars after suffering a groin injury. Left tackle Rashawn Slater injured his biceps. Quarterback Justin Herbert is already playing through fractured rib cartilage.
"I just didn't want to quit on the team," Herbert told reporters after the decisive loss.
Center Corey Linsley (knee), wide receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (knee) didn't even play in the contest.
Availability and quality of depth play big parts in how successful a team can be. If its top performers aren't healthy or not playing well, expectations must be tempered.
Lastly, the Las Vegas Raiders are allowed to have some hope, even though they're the only team to start 0-3 this season. Sunday's performance within their division makes it possible to climb back into the race.
Granted, the Chiefs and Broncos are already two games ahead. Six teams during the Super Bowl era have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, according to the Associated Press' Josh Dubow.
Quarterback Derek Carr even insinuated certain individuals must be better in practice during his postgame press conference.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) calls a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Nashville. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
"You try your best to do it the right way in practice, and if you don't do it right in practice, then you can't expect it to go right in the game," Carr said. "We've got to look at that, each man as an individual and say, 'OK then, I've got to get better at this, this, and this.'"
The rest of the AFC sees the Miami Dolphins leading the way with a 3-0 record. The Buffalo Bills may have come up short against their division rival this weekend, but they're clearly one of the league's best.
Lamar Jackson is back to MVP form during the Baltimore Ravens' 2-1 start. Jacksonville is much tougher than expected, with a true professional now leading the team in head coach Doug Pederson.
A weak first act can be saved by a strong finish. Even after a rough start, the AFC West shouldn't fall completely apart. Expectations simply need to be adjusted. Maybe the division wasn't as good as everyone originally projected.
Even so, the eventual winner can still have its made-for-movie ending.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
