Bill Belichick, the veteran New England Patriots head coach, showed Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs extraordinary respect after a game.
Belichick departed from his usual exit strategy after Sunday's 27-17 loss at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots' 3-11 record raises questions about his future in New England.
After greeting Andy Reid, Belichick went to Kansas City's standout tight end, Kelce, for a lengthy talk.
"Appreciate you, coach," Kelce said Belichick, who gave the 34-year-old tight end some advice as they parted ways despite his unclear future.
Kelce praised Belichick despite his five catches for 28 yards in the game. Kelce acknowledged the difficulty of playing a Belichick-coached defense and noted Belichick's strategic depth.
"Belichick always has clever players, so hats go to him today for making my job harder. Additionally, he's training a solid team to play well. I admire that squad "Kelce said.