Sports evoke strong emotions, which is why they captivate us. If you’ve ever been part of a successful team, you know that tensions can run high during huddles, in the locker room, or at practice. Competition and the desire to win are not passive qualities. However, Travis Kelce’s actions towards Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during Super Bowl LVIII were seen by many as crossing a line. While we may never know exactly what Kelce said to his coach, it is clear that there are numerous athletes who would never be able to behave in such a manner and get away with it.
Kelce was asked about berating his coach and nearly knocking him over, to which he responded, “Oh, you guys saw that? Man, it was… I’m going to keep that between us unless my mic’d-up tells the world, but I was just telling him how much I love him.” He reiterated, “I’m going to keep it between us. I was just telling him how much I love him.”
Reid commented on the situation, saying, “The part I love is he loves to play the game, and he wants to help his team win. It’s not a selfish thing, that’s not what it is, and I understand that. And so as much as, you know, he bumps into me, I get after him. And we understand that. He just caught me off balance. He keeps me young. Tested that hip out. He caught me off balance, normally I’d give him a little bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me.”
At this point, only TMZ has the potential to release the audio and reveal the details of the interaction. For now, all we can do is speculate about what occurred on the sidelines. However, it is undeniable that Kelce was able to get away with his behavior due to his track record, the unique nature of his relationship with Reid, and the dynamics within the Chiefs’ team.
Ultimately, the only individuals who can truly determine whether this situation was fair or foul are the two men involved and the players in the locker room. However, it is important to acknowledge that there are certain athletes who would never be able to behave in such a manner. Here is a list of five athletes who fall into that category.
In the NBA, no player is as polarizing as Green. People either love and appreciate him for what he brings to the game, or they despise him and believe he has no place in the league. Green’s actions, both on and off the court, have intensified this divide. Many believe he crosses the line with his words, antics, and interactions with teammates and opponents. However, the Golden State Warriors rely on him, as evidenced by the impact of his suspensions. LeBron James, Jordan Poole, Domantas Sabonis, and Jusuf Nurkić have all experienced Green’s wrath in some capacity. While some argue that Green has crossed too many boundaries, he has never come close to crossing the line that Kelce did.
Imagine an NBA star who is being sued for allegedly assaulting a teenager and has been suspended twice in the past year for gun-related incidents. Now picture that player yelling at and physically bumping his head coach during the NBA Finals. If this player were Morant, the reaction would be far more severe than what Green would face.
Perhaps it is due to the numerous commercials or the expectations that come with being the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Maybe it is because Mayfield has had some controversial moments in his past that have caused people to view him unfavorably. From the crotch-grabbing incident in college to legal issues and public criticism of his former head coach, Mayfield has faced scrutiny. In 2018, he defended himself, saying, “People get maturity confused with me being 100 percent comfortable in my own skin. So that’s absolutely how I am. I’ve always been that way. It’s not immature. It’s me being exactly who I am every day, being that same guy for our team, and I think that’s very important right now.” If Mayfield were to display behavior similar to Kelce’s, Twitter would undoubtedly have a field day.
Like the other athletes on this list, Beckham tends to elicit strong opinions from the public. In 2016, he had an emotional outburst on the sidelines during a game, similar to Kelce’s. However, the public’s reaction to Beckham’s outburst was vastly different from their response to Kelce’s.
Outbursts are not uncommon in baseball, particularly when a manager or player is ejected by an umpire. This often leads to both teams rushing onto the field, creating the illusion of a fight that rarely materializes. Ronald Acuña Jr., the Atlanta Braves’ franchise player and reigning National League MVP, is included on this list for a different reason. While he has not engaged in behavior similar to the other athletes mentioned, his inclusion is based on the fact that baseball can be unpredictable. In this sport, a team may overreact and reprimand a future MVP simply because he wore his hat in a way that obscured the team logo during an interview. If a franchise in the South would go to such lengths over a hat, imagine their response if Acuña Jr. were to berate and nearly knock over his manager during the World Series.
According to the Source deadspin.com