NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal had some grievances to air with the Kansas City Chiefs’ game plan during the Super Bowl. And he aired them directly to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kelce and his team were going for a three-peat – the first in NFL history – but ended up laying an absolute egg against the Philadelphia Eagles, getting thumped 40-22.
And it wasn’t even that close.
Making matters worse, Kelce, who was contemplating retirement by riding off into the sunset, was noticeably underutilized on the field. The 10-time Pro Bowler had just four catches for 39 yards.
Because of that, O’Neal had a bone to pick with the Chiefs’ coaching staff.
Shaquille O’Neal Confronts Travis Kelce
Shaq, appearing on Travis Kelce and his brother Jason’s “New Heights” podcast recently, seized the opportunity to address the team’s failures in last season’s Super Bowl.
“I have a question, how come they didn’t use you a lot in the Super Bowl?” Shaq confronted. “I know you’re (expletive) pissed. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
In reality, they could have targeted Kelce 20 times or more in that game, and he could have wound up with 10 catches, 180 yards, and two touchdowns … and they still would have been blown out.
Kelce took the high road and responded that obviously, he, the coaching staff, and the refs did everything in their power to help the Chiefs win.
(Okay, maybe I made up that part about the refs – But you were all thinking it!)
“Nah, man, you already know we were trying to use all the pieces, man,” Kelce replied.
While the Chiefs’ tight end continued to suggest his team delivered their best game plan, Shaq would have none of it.
“I need the pieces that helped us win the first (expletive) Super Bowl, don’t be trying to do the new (expletive),” O’Neal concluded. “I don’t wanna get you in trouble, but I wasn’t happy about that.”
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While he’s certainly saying the right things here, Travis Kelce was clearly frustrated by his play in the Super Bowl loss. So much so, that it seems to have altered his retirement plans.
He announced in the off-season that he would not, in fact, be retiring after failing to go out on top.
“I’m coming back, for sure,” Kelce told ESPN’s Pat McAfee. “Going to try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountain top.”
“Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that.”
I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce..
Source(s) said I’M COMING BACK FOR SURE..
I’m gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..
I’ve got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can’t go out like that!!!! #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa
https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1895175295520645395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1895175295520645395%7Ctwgr%5Efa68a3fd75a34c60eb19372544687f18e1fe78a3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsportsnaut.com%2Fnfl%2Fshaquille-oneal-trashes-chiefs-super-bowl-game-plan-to-travis-kelces-face%2F
So upset was he by his play in the Super Bowl that Kelce and his brother had to fight back tears in a podcast episode shortly after the loss.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Travis said, his voice trembling, eyes getting glassy. “It’s just a tough reality.”
But hey, maybe if they had Shaq on the sideline drawing up the game plan instead of, say, three-time Super Bowl champ and former NFL Coach of the Year Andy Reid, things would have been different.
