Travis Kelce fights back tears in locker room tribute to controversial teammate as Chiefs reach Super Bowl

Travis Kelce fights back tears in locker room tribute to controversial teammate as Chiefs reach Super Bowl

Moments after reaching another Super Bowl, Travis Kelce fought back tears in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room as he paid tribute to teammate Kareem Hunt.

The Chiefs narrowly beat the Buffalo Bills 32-29 at Arrowhead on Sunday night to reach the Super Bowl in New Orleans on February 9, against Philadelphia Eagles. And for running back Hunt, that game will represent a story of redemption. 

He first reached stardom with the Chiefs in 2017, running for a league high 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie year after being drafted from Toledo. But a year later, his career looked to be in ruins after video emerged of him ᴀssaulting a woman and the Chiefs released him.

In late November 2018, footage surfaced that showed Hunt shoving a woman to the ground and kicking her in the hallway of a Cleveland H๏τel. The Chiefs got rid of him but no charges were filed when the woman stopped cooperating with authorities.

He returned to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns in 2019 before Andy Reid gave him a second chance in Kansas City last September after Isiah Pacheco fractured his leg in Week 2.

‘That’s my family right there man, I love that guy to death,’ Kelce said of Hunt in an interview Darren Smith.

I spoke with #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce after the game on what getting his teammate, running back Kareem Hunt, a chance to play in the Super Bowl meant to him. #ChiefsKingdom #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/0yQh4oKR8M

— Darren Smith (@DarrenSmithNFL) January 27, 2025 Travis Kelce paid an emotional tribute to Kareem Hunt as the Chiefs made another Super Bowl

Travis Kelce paid an emotional tribute to Kareem Hunt as the Chiefs made another Super Bowl

Hunt scored a touchdown on the way to his team's narrow victory over the Buffalo Bills

Hunt scored a touchdown on the way to his team’s narrow victory over the Buffalo Bills 

‘I’ve been his biggest advocate since all of that happened to try and get him back here and I tell you what man, I’m getting choked up just thinking about it.

Read More Patrick Mahomes enjoys emotional celebrations with his family… days after heartbreaking news article image

‘I’m happy as hell man, he’s come a long way. And he’s really leading our team with his mentality and his style of play and I love playing with him, man.’

Hunt was outstanding for the Chiefs on Sunday night, taking on much of the workload with 17 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown.

At the time of Hunt’s return to the Chiefs, head coach Andy Reid said: ‘He did a nice job in Cleveland and we talked to people there, and there were no issues there.

‘We felt okay by bringing him back, he’s 29 years old now.

‘It looks like he’s grown up some. I think people deserve a second chance if they’ve done something to work on the first part of it.’

Mahomes, who was in the same draft class as Hunt, said about his return: ‘At the end of the day, I just root for the person to keep becoming a better and better person, and the football is secondary, but I’m glad to have him back and in the building.

‘Everybody has friends that make mistakes – and obviously some are bigger than others – but at the same time you want to make the person better and you want to see them taking the right steps to become a better person for themselves, their family and the rest of the society.’

Patrick Mahomes celebrates with Hunt after scoring a touchdown for the Chiefs on Sunday

Patrick Mahomes celebrates with Hunt after scoring a touchdown for the Chiefs on Sunday 

Now, Hunt and his team can enter the history books in February if the Chiefs become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three straight тιтles. 

It will be Hunt’s first Super Bowl of his career, and he told Smith: ‘Man, I’m feeling great, revived. 

‘I’ve always tried to make it to the Super Bowl, it has been my dream since I was a little kid and now it is finally here.’

Related Posts

BREAKING NEWSTaylor Swift joins Travis Kelce in Nashville on the opening night of his NFL charity event

BREAKING NEWSTaylor Swift joins Travis Kelce in Nashville on the opening night of his NFL charity event

Taylor Swift made a surprise trip down to Nashville to join boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs тιԍнт end Travis Kelce in hosting a meeting of the football minds…

NFL star reveals he would never live in Kansas City in savage attack on the place Travis Kelce calls home

NFL star reveals he would never live in Kansas City in savage attack on the place Travis Kelce calls home

On the latest episode of the podcast he runs with his brother, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown threw some shade on the city of Kansas…

BREAKING NEWSLas Vegas Raiders in mourning as former player dies at age 60

BREAKING NEWSLas Vegas Raiders in mourning as former player dies at age 60

The Las Vegas Raiders are honoring a former player from their days when they took the field in Los Angeles and Oakland, California. The team released a…

Revealed: Tom Brady told the Raiders not to sign Sam Darnold before Geno Smith moved to Las Vegas

Revealed: Tom Brady told the Raiders not to sign Sam Darnold before Geno Smith moved to Las Vegas

Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up for a huge 2025 campaign after an offseason of upheavel in Sin City. Maxx Crosby signed a…

Travis Kelce receives special award for ‘extraordinary’ achievement

Travis Kelce receives special award for ‘extraordinary’ achievement

Travis Kelce has been honored by the state of Ohio for his ‘extraordinary commitment, compᴀssion and service’ to charity work in his hometown of Cleveland. The Kansas…

NFL fans set for behind-the-scenes glimpse of Joe Burrow’s home burglary drama as new Netflix trailer drops

NFL fans set for behind-the-scenes glimpse of Joe Burrow’s home burglary drama as new Netflix trailer drops

The burglary of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s $7.5 million Ohio mansion is covered in the upcoming season of QUARTERBACKS, Netflix’s recurring behind-the-scenes documentary from NFL Films….