Travis Kelce has warned his unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs teammates not to underestimate the 2-5 Las Vegas Raiders after the three-peat-chasing defending champions were stunned last Dec.

The Chiefs were beaten 20-14 by their AFC West rivals, the Raiders, on Christmas Day last year before going on to win back-to-back Super Bowls in Feb. with a win over the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. Kansas City, despite being ravaged by injuries on offense in 2024 with Hollywood Brown, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, and JuJu Smith-Schuster all out, the Chiefs have put together a 6-0 start.

In those six games, they’ve seen off top NFL rivals the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and the 49ers in a Super Bowl rematch at the weekend. However, Chiefs tight end and franchise legend Kelce, 35, has warned his teammates not to get complacent in Sunday’s game against the struggling Raiders.

Las Vegas has massive problems, particularly on offense, with Devante Adams being traded to the New York Jets, and at quarterback with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, who has now been placed on injury reserve. “I think we found out last year that if we don’t have the right mindset going into this game, this team can beat us,” Kelce reminded his teammates.

“That’s every team in the NFL but this rivalry in the AFC West division, that’s always a big game – no matter who we are playing in the division. The Raiders, that is always a tough opponent.”

Kelce added on Kansas City’s win in San Francisco over the Niners: “It’s about us, it’s about us getting better throughout the year. The message was to go out there and play together.

“There are a lot of doubters with what we can do offensively right now with the guys that we’ve got. We showed everyone we can put up points today. I love every single guy on this team.

Kelce has reminded the Chiefs about their 2023 Christmas Day defeat to the Raiders

Kelce has reminded the Chiefs about their 2023 Christmas Day defeat to the Raiders ( 

Image:

Getty)

“That’s our mentality – next guy up. Everybody feels their role, they want that opportunity to get out there and show the world that we’ve got everybody we need right here to win a championship.”

Kelce hasn’t had the best of starts to 2024, and neither has his best friend and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The three-time Super Bowl winner and future NFL Hall of Famer is yet to score a touchdown this season, while Mahomes has thrown eight interceptions and just six touchdown passes.

Kelce is a target for every defense that plays the Chiefs, especially following the string of injuries to key weapons at running back and receiver. And so, Kansas City has decided to trade for three-time first-team All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins, 32, from the Tennessee Titans.