Justin Tucker explains Chiefs-Ravens pre-game beef with Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs have defied the odds by overcoming the “Josh Allen Curse” with a win against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. But Lamar Jackson and the Ravens squad couldn’t escape the nightmare of the disappointment of the postseason this year as well. The clash was not only defined by on-field prowess but also by a pre-game incident that ignited tensions.

Amidst the customary warm-up rituals, a spark of contention erupted between the Chiefs’ star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and the Ravens’ kicker, Justin Tucker. Now, the Ravens star has provided his viewpoint on the incident.

Justin Tucker explains his Kelce-Mahomes incident in AFC pre-game

Justin Tucker, known for his routine of warming up on the opponent’s side of the field, faced interference from Patrick Mahomes in the warmup time. Addressing the incident to reporters, he explained that his pre-game routine has never encountered any issues before. He said Pat initially approached him as he was stretching on the ground, requesting that he move his helmet.

“I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years; I’ve never had a problem with anybody. I saw Patrick there trying to warm up and get some dropbacks. He asked me while I was on the ground stretching if I could move my helmet”, via Yahoo Sports.

Justin Tucker complied, assuming the matter was resolved. But later, Travis Kelce escalated the situation further by kicking his equipment and tossing his helmet into the end zone. Despite the confrontational atmosphere, the Ravens star maintained that he viewed it as gamesmanship rather than malicious intent.

“I happily got up and moved my helmet out of the way, at least I thought it was enough out of the way. And then Travis comes over and he just kicks my stuff, he throws my helmet. I thought it was all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun. But they seemed to be taking it a little more seriously.”

Expressing his willingness to move past the incident, the veteran mentioned that his actions were not intended to cause trouble. He said that was simply part of his routine preparation for the game. Mahome and Kelce have yet to publicly address the altercation.

Pat McAfee defends Patrick Mahomes over Justin Tucker pre-game beef

Pat McAfee has stepped forward to defend Patrick Mahomes amidst the pregame altercation with Justin Tucker. McAfee highlighted the importance of not disturbing Pat by labeling him as a revered personality and drawing parallels with players like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

The ex-NFL star highlighted the potential risks involved by stressing that the Chiefs wouldn’t want to jeopardize Mahomes’ performance by any unnecessary disturbances, even as trivial as a helmet lying around. He pointed out that such actions wouldn’t be tolerated with quarterbacks of the same stature, especially underscoring the unique status the Alpine F1 owner holds in the league.

The incident drew attention when Travis Kelce faced some backlash for his involvement. Many critics argued that he disrespected Justin Tucker. However, McAfee reframed the narrative by dismissing it as a case of “bullying the weaker guy.” He cautioned against labeling Tucker as the weaker party. McAfee pointed out that the kicker was fully aware and seemingly unperturbed by the incident, as evident in his smiling demeanor.

What do you think of the beef between Tucker and the Chiefs stars? Tell us in the comments.