Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is feeling pretty bad for wide receiver Mecole Hardman right about now.

During the Chiefs’ win over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this past Sunday, Kansas City was driving and was about to take a two-score lead. However, Hardman fumbled the ball out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback and giving the Bills the ball back at the 20-yard line (yes, it’s a weird rule).

Hardman was wildly criticized for his miscue, but apparently, the embattled wide out was not entirely at fault.

Kelce says that he was the reason why the ball popped out of Hardman’s hands.

“Dude, I’m not going to lie, man, I owe Mecole a (expletive) new car or something — I owe so much to him. My block was the one that knocked the ball out,” Kelce said on his New Heights podcast this week. “I’ve been (expletive) sick. I’ve apologized to him every single time I (expletive) saw him today and I’ll apologize again, my bad Mecole, man.”

Kelce was blocking Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer, but was unsuccessful as Poyer got through and was able to knock the ball away from Hardman.

“[Poyer] finished the play better than I did, got a hand on the ball, and man, I owe my guy big time,” added Kelce. “I feel bad for him, man. There’s nothing worse than giving up the ball, especially in [that] situation.”

That was Hardman’s only catch in the game, and in the playoffs overall, he has logged just two grabs for five yards. He was re-acquired by the Chiefs at the trade deadline after beginning the season with the New York Jets. In six games in Kansas City during the regular season, Hardman totaled 14 catches for 118 yards.

Hopefully for the Chiefs, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman can avoid such mistake when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday.

Kansas City is aiming to advance to its fourth Super Bowl in five years.

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