It was college football at its best in a thrilling Raiders-Bearcats encounter. But it was Texas Tech that had the last laugh with a 44-41 win over Cincinnati. And with that, Patrick Mahomes won the wager with his mate Travis Kelce. The Chiefs’ TE did respect the bet and donned the Raiders mascot’s head during the New Heights Podcast. But Pat was not getting off Trav’s back so easily with this one.
Typical banter from Mahomes as he re-shared the clip of Travis trying on the mask and reacted with this hashtag on his Insta story: “#WreckEM.” You can’t make this stuff up—it’s what happens when pride runs deep! For both Mahomes and Kelce, this friendly wager hit close to home. Mahomes, a proud Texas Tech alum, had to flex on his Cincinnati-born tight end when their alma maters faced off.
Mahomes repped Texas Tech from 2014-2016, while Kelce played for the Bearcats a few years earlier. Travis’ brother Jason, also a Bearcats alum, couldn’t help but poke fun at his brother’s mascot transformation. Jason couldn’t hold back the laughs, saying, “Honestly, there’s not that big of a difference—it kind of looks like the same person!” And, of course, he threw in a shout-out to Chiefs coach Andy Reid, commenting on the “big red mustache” and joking that Reid would be proud.
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Any guesses, on what Big Reid would want to say on that to Trav when he returns to practice next? That’d be one conversation that we are sure everyone would love to hear. But it’d be a mystery unless the tea’s spilled on the New Heights.
Travis, never one to shy away from a good laugh, explained the whole thing on his podcast. “It comes from good ‘ole Lubbock, Texas,” he said, chuckling. “The Texas Tech Red Raiders beat up on our Cincinnati Bearcats, and me and Pat had a fun little wager that we came up with.” So, the mask? Just a little reminder of the friendly competition between these two NFL stars.
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Travis Kelce in a Raiders mask—Is this the funniest NFL bet payoff you've seen?
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Travis Kelce’s $70k birthday blowout for Patrick Mahomes
Don’t let the playful banter make it seem otherwise. When you hear Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes in the same breath, you know it’s all about “Best Mates” vibes. Seriously, if you’re from Kansas (or even remotely into football), you already get it. And if you need more proof of it, then look no further folks.
Trav went all out for Mahomes’ 29th birthday, reportedly dropping a huge $70,000 on some jaw-dropping gifts. Talk about setting a high bar for birthday presents, right? Kelce pulled no punches, starting with a custom-engraved Rolex worth $54,200. Yep, you read that right. The back was engraved with “P” and “M” – a nod to their tight-knit friendship. He didn’t stop there, though. Kelce also gifted Mahomes a $2,300 Louis Vuitton wool cardigan because apparently, luxury and style are part of the quarterback’s playbook now. Oh, and let’s not forget the six bottles of Masseto red wine, priced at $1,100 each. Fancy!
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Now, you might be thinking, does Mahomes need more watches or wine? Probably not. But this isn’t about practicality; it’s about friendship flexes. Kelce just wanted to show how much his quarterback means to him, and clearly, he knows how to do it in style. And maybe, just maybe, this friendship translated onto the gridiron could be key for the Chiefs to complete the 3-peat. What do you think?
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Travis Kelce in a Raiders mask—Is this the funniest NFL bet payoff you've seen?