Glendale (United States) (AFP) - Kansas City's scintillating 38-35 Super Bowl triumph over Philadelphia was a "bittersweet" sensation for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, whose brother Jason played for the vanquished Eagles.
Travis Kelce offered an exuberant dance celebration when he caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes in the first quarter on Sunday.
But with his second NFL championship secured four seasons after he won a first with the Chiefs, he couldn't help but think of his brother.
"It's bittersweet, man," Kelce said."I lied to everybody and told everybody I wanted to have this feeling of beating my brother but it's a pretty sick feeling.
"It's a lot of emotion.It's a lot of passion.It's like he said the other day: It's one thing for you to win one.
"It's another thing to see your best friend, your family, go out there and win it.I feel for the big guy.He had a great season.He poured his heart out there, that's for damn sure."
Sunday's game marked the first time brothers faced each other in the NFL's championship showpiece.
It was quickly dubbed the "Kelce Bowl," amid calls for their mother, Donna, to oversee the pre-game coin toss.
Donna was there, in yet another hybrid game-day outfit honoring the teams of both sons, but just one was celebrating at the end of the day.
Amid the smoke and confetti of the post-game celebrations, the brothers exchanged a long embrace on the field.
"All I could tell him was that I love him and thanks for making this one of the best years of my life," Travis Kelce said.
Donna Kelce made her way onto the field to congratulate Travis and console Jason, the Eagles center who was part of the team's Super Bowl drive in 2017.
He and his Eagles teammates were denied another in heartbreaking style as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs erased a 10-point halftime deficit to win, despite an inspired performance from Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts.
"It's frustrating," Jason Kelce said."We just didn't get it done."
Travis Kelce said that fans' embrace of his family's story enriched this Super Bowl experience.
"The way the fans, the entire world kind of jumped on our Kelce bandwagon and lifted us and gave my mother and father all the flowers they deserve in life, it was the ultimate, ultimate season," he said.
