Chiefs TE Travis Kelce appreciates the villain role going into Super Bowl LIX

Kansas City #Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce appreciates the villain role going into Super Bowl LIX | @EdEastonJr

During the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Travis Kelce addressed the many Kansas City Chiefs haters. He didn’t hold back regarding the consistent criticism the team has faced from accusations that they are receiving favorable treatment from game officials.

“I love it. I love it; at one point in time, it wasn’t that,” said Kelce. “I was the ‘do you feel bad for ’em guys.’ I’m enjoying doing this with the guys together. The guys that we have in there because it just makes us even more of a family.”

The Chiefs are the fourth reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions to reach the Conference Championship game but the first to return to the Super Bowl.

“You just circle the wagons, said Kelce. “People are saying whatever they want. You just band together, and it makes you appreciate more of what you have because people want what you have.

Kelce and the Chiefs prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, hoping to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

Don Cheadle on Chiefs’ villain image: ‘They’re the bad guys until they get beaten’

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to actor Don Cheadle about the public’s recent perception of the #Chiefs as villains due to their success. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs will face plenty of obstacles on the journey to trying to accomplish a three-peat this season. Their recent triumphs have not just viewed them as a dynasty but also as the top target on every team’s bulletin board and rival fans’ hate list.

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to award-winning actor Don Cheadle about being competitive in this weekend’s American Century Championship and the public’s recent perception of the Chiefs as the league’s villains due to their success.

“I don’t get like that [competitive],” Cheadle explained. “I mean, I know that people are taking bets on certain things. My friends have “last-longer” bets and better performance bets with other players. But like I said, it’s to see these dudes that I don’t, you know, necessarily get to see all year in that setting.

“It’s the tournament (American Century) that does a great job of taking care of us, providing entertainment, and it’s for charity. It’s really the reason to get together and do this. There are a lot of guys that I would like to bump into again and be with Michael Pena, and he and I are in a movie coming out this year together, so it’s good to kick it with him.”

During Super Bowl LVIII media week, the Chiefs were considered the league’s villains after consecutive winning seasons. The reaction from most of the crowd in attendance preferred the San Francisco 49ers as the heroes for reasons beyond the game’s proximity.

“I think it’s all [a] hype thing to sell tickets and get people to watch. And, of course, if somebody is sitting on top of the hill, you have to knock the king off the top,” said Cheadle. “So I’m sure they’re viewed as villains, but to see what they’ve done and to all the different iterations of personnel that they’ve had, and still been able to be as successful as they’ve been able to be.

“It’s a real testament to the team and to [what] Andy Reid has been able to do, and what the front office has been able to do, and how to put these people together and kept, the key pieces together to continue to make them the championship level, caliber team. So, yeah, they should be; they should be the bad guys. They’re the bad guys until they get beaten.”

Cheadle has played many roles in his illustrious career while continuing to work in various humanitarian efforts. In 2017, alongside Oceans 8 movie castmate George Clooney, he was presented with the Summit Peace Award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome for work to stop the genocide and relieve the suffering of the people of Darfur.

Check out the website for more information about the American Century Championship.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes embraces ‘villain’ role during road games

#Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes told CBS’s Nate Burleson about the satisfaction he gets from playing the villain during a recent interview. | from @TheJohnDillon

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The entire NFL is out to beat the Kansas City Chiefs heading into the 2023 season, and more specifically teams around the league are looking to find ways to contain the otherworldly abilities of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As the reigning MVP, Mahomes has given opponents fits since taking over the starting role in Kansas City back in 2018, and after his second Super Bowl win in February, the race is on for teams tasked with facing him during their coming campaigns.

Mahomes sat down with former Seahawks wideout Nate Burleson for an interview that will air on the CBS Mornings program on Monday. The veteran signal-caller expounded on the satisfaction he gets from being an anti-hero when playing on the road.

“I like to be the villain a little bit,” Mahomes explained to Burleson. “Obviously it’s cool at Arrowhead to be the hero and win the games, and be able to host the AFC Championship trophy, but it’s just as fun, no offense to any of my division opponents, to go to their places and win those games. And so… both are great, but even though I have to smile I like being the villain sometimes.”

While other teams and fanbases see Mahomes as public enemy No. 1, Kansas City’s fans certainly think of him as something of a deity after the success he has been able to bring the Chiefs has launched the team into the limelight in recent years.

Though he may be embracing his role as one of the league’s premier outlaws on the road, his legend in the Show Me State will continue to grow with every win he accumulates at home.

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Steve Nash, Nets players speak out on ‘villain’ narrative

The Nets have assembled a historic superteam, and some fans are crying foul.

In the span of three weeks, the Brooklyn Nets went from just being serious contenders to assembling one of the most fearsome – and polarizing – superteams in NBA history. The thought of has players and coaches laughing about the matter; however, it is not stopping them from carrying on business as usual. This also hasn’t stopped the team from addressing the media on being “villains.”

Before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Blake Griffin said that for the past couples of years all he heard was how “bad” he was. Then he signs with the Nets and all of a sudden people are saying “it’s not fair.” Griffin has a point, it’s not like he’s going crazy. This just shows how quick the narrative can change in the NBA. As he put it, “now people care.”

It was only a matter of time before Steve Nash got in on the fun. Steve Nash highlighted before playing the Timberwolves that “it’s not like we did anything illegal.” When addressing this villain role he said, “I don’t even know what that means.” He has a point. It’s just basketball, not good versus evil. The goal is to win at any cost with your team, that’s it.

Last but not least, the new kid on the block in LaMarcus Aldridge who actually sparked these “villain” remarks lately, chimed in on why the addition of his play won’t be like how it was in the past being that he is older. Which shuts down this “villain” narrative. He said, “I’m not here to be an All-Star — I’m not worried about being an All-Star anymore.” Aldridge didn’t deny that he may have peaks of his All-Star play just like old times though:

“If it happens, it happens.”

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