Travis Kelce’s comments have added fresh attention to Andy Reid’s decision to bench Kingsley Suamataia during the Kansas City Chiefs’ 28-24 loss to the Denver Broncos. (Imagn Images)
One of the team’s most experienced players publicly acknowledged that he did not know why a teammate had lost his starting role.
Everybody has their own road,” Kelce said, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor. “He’s family. Still, the situation is unusual. Kelce’s support for Suamataia was clear, but his comments also highlighted how little information was available about the decision.
Kansas City trailed Denver by four points late in the fourth quarter. Patrick Mahomes had one final chance to keep the Chiefs in the game, but the offense could not finish the drive.
He simply said he did not know what had happened. “He’s family. Everybody has their own road. We love Kingsley, we think he’s a hell of a player. At this time, I’m not even sure what the scenario is. I’m rolling with whoever we’ve got in that game. I’m sure Kingsley is drooling, trying to get back out there. If the benching was disciplinary, Reid had every right to hold Suamataia accountable. Team standards matter, even when the stakes are high. Reid has built a championship team and earned the trust that comes with it. That does not make every personnel decision immune to scrutiny. Kelce did not demand Suamataia’s return or challenge Reid’s authority. For Kansas City, that leaves the same question hanging over the decision: why was the starting left guard on the sideline when the game was on the line?