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How Travis Kelce's pregame Super Bowl LVIII speech reportedly impacted Chiefs

Published Feb. 12, 2024 6:03 p.m. ET

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Travis Kelce won his third Super Bowl on Sunday night, helping the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. But his biggest impact might have come the night prior. 

Prior to Sunday's game, it was reported that the Chiefs tight end gave such a powerful speech that moved his teammates and coaches so much that they began to tear up. Someone who was in the room reportedly described it as a "WWE" speech., telling CBS Sports that there "wasn't a dry eye" in the room.

As the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy a day later, Kelce downplayed the impact of his speech, pointing to the fact that they only were losing 10-3 at halftime.

"I think it was more of a passionate rah-rah than something sad," Kelce reportedly told the Monday Morning Quarterback. "I just told everybody, 'We got what it takes. We got the formula. Those guys don't have it.' I ate a little bit of my words, knowing that [the Niners] had a lot more in them than I even imagined. 

"But I was still right, baby. Chiefs got the formula. We knew what we had in this locker room, and we took it from there."

Kelce's speech was particularly praised by members of the Chiefs' coaching and front office. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy reportedly told the Monday Morning Quarterback that it was "raw" and "passionate" while general manager Brett Veach said the speech hit him differently than any other pregame message had before.

"I texted my dad and my brother, and I'm not the oldest guy, but I've been around for a while. And I have never heard a pregame speech like that," Veach reportedly told the Monday Morning Quarterback. "It had the hair standing up on my arms. It meant the world to him to do it. It came from the heart. It was pure passion and emotion, and I think it resonated through our team."

What to make of Reid and Kelce spat on the sidelines?

As Kelce mentioned, the 49ers had more in them than the Chiefs did to start Sunday's game. They actually took a 10-0 lead with just over four minutes left in the first as the Chiefs struggled offensively, punting after four or fewer plays on three of their first four drives and committing a turnover on the other.

Those struggles actually continued in the early parts of the second half with Patrick Mahomes tossing an interception on the third play from scrimmage and the Chiefs going three-and-out on their ensuing possession. But the Chiefs' defense was able to slow the 49ers down, forcing two three-and-outs themselves.

That set the stage for the Chiefs' offense to slowly take control for the rest of the game. Kansas City scored on five of its six remaining possessions, with the one that it didn't score on resulting in a muffed punt by San Francisco that gave the Chiefs the ball back at the 49ers' 16-yard line. 

As the Chiefs scored 22 points in the second half and overtime to win, it was apparently Nagy and pass-game coordinator Joe Bleymaier who gave the speech at halftime that helped spark the turnaround from the offense.

"We had a long talk at halftime — composure," Nagy reportedly told the Monday Morning Quarterback. "We're down seven. We were in this thing last year against the Eagles, same thing, you're down, you need composure."

While Mahomes was the impetus of the comeback, Kelce wasn't too far behind. He recorded five receptions for 67 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime, stepping up on the game-tying drive at the end of regulation and the game-winning drive in overtime. 

Kelce's speech, which reportedly came in between Mahomes' and Chris Jones' addresses to the team, likely wasn't him preparing to say goodbye to the team. The 34-year-old, along with Chiefs coach Andy Reid, both stated shortly after Sunday's win that they plan to return in 2024 after retirement rumors surrounded the pair in recent weeks.

"The goal is always to get three [in a row]," Kelce told reporters. "But we couldn't get here without getting to two and having that target on our back all year. I love these guys right here. The men that we just won this thing with? Family forever, baby. I couldn't be prouder of these guys. And how about it? We get a chance to do it three times in a row."

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NFL - San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 02/11/2024