Travis Kelce: drop in fourth quarter 'cost us big time' in Chiefs' 20-17 loss to Eagles

Travis Kelce said his fourth-quarter drop on Sunday cost the Kansas City Chiefs "big time" as the NFL reigning champions fell 20-17 to the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium.

Trailing 13-10, Kelce failed to control a Patrick Mahomes pass on the edge of the end zone and the ball came loose; Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba grabbed it and raced away. From the following play, Philadelphia scored a touchdown to take a 20-10 lead that Kansas City could not overturn, leaving the Chiefs 0-2 to open the season — the first time the team has started 0-2 in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Speaking on his New Heights podcast with his brother Jason, Kelce described the moment as "frustrating" and said it had "haunted" him. "The ball was where it needed to be, when it needed to be there. I've just got to get my head around out of the break," he said. "I've scored on that play a million times in my life ... it should never have happened and it cost us big time and that s--- hurts but we'll get it fixed."

Kelce accepted responsibility for the miscue and acknowledged the pressure he has felt after an offseason in which he prepared to return to peak condition following a slow finish last season. He said that pressure has led to him trying to do too much early in the campaign. "You try and turn into Superman and do too much," he said. "Do I do the routine thing? Or do I do something spectacular and try and make it all work? I think there's a little bit of that, at least from me."

The error came in a game that quickly became a defensive battle. Kansas City led at times but could not hold momentum late in the fourth quarter. After Philadelphia's go-ahead score, the Chiefs responded with a touchdown but fell short as the Eagles closed out a 20-17 road win.

The loss extends pressure on a Chiefs team with championship expectations and raises questions about how they will respond. Kansas City travels to New York to face the Giants on Sunday Night Football. The team's schedule then becomes more demanding in the coming weeks, with matchups against the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before Nov. 2.

Kelce, 35, said he feels the weight of teammates' expectations and vowed to improve. "I've got to be there for my guys, knowing they put a lot on my plate to be a good player for this team and I've got to f---ing answer that bell, man," he said on the podcast.

The drop and its aftermath will be examined closely as the Chiefs attempt to regroup. Head coach Patrick Mahomes — who threw the pass — and the Kansas City coaching staff are expected to review the sequence on film as they prepare for a quick turnaround against New York. The Chiefs dominated much of the recent Mahomes-era seasons, but the back-to-back losses to begin this campaign mark an early test of their depth and resilience.

Philadelphia improved to 2-0 with the victory, and coach and players credited a collective defensive effort that helped swing the game late. The Eagles' ability to capitalize on turnovers and quickly convert them into points proved decisive in a matchup that featured heavy emphasis on situational execution.

Kelce's comments after the game reflected both personal accountability and a focus on correction. He reiterated a team-first approach, saying Kansas City will keep working to correct errors and regain the consistency that produced multiple deep postseason runs in recent years.

The Chiefs' response over the next two weeks — on the road in New York and then back at Arrowhead against another strong opponent — will offer an early indication of whether the team can steady itself and preserve hopes of another title run.