Travis Kelce didn't hold back in his criticism of referee Carl Cheffers for the holding penalty that cost the Kansas City Chiefs what would have been the tying two-point conversion late in their 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

"Referee No. 51 shouldn't even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again," Kelce said. "He shouldn't even be able to work at f---ing Foot Locker."

Alex Smith agreed with Kelce.

"I've seen a lot worse not called," Smith said.

Cheffers called Eric Fisher for holding on the play that momentarily tied the game. Kansas City failed to get the two-point conversion after being pushed back to the 12-yard line. Pittsburgh kept the ball for the rest of the game after the kickoff.

"For it to end like that, with the referee literally taking it out of our hands, that hurts," Kelce said. "You try to play this game with integrity, to the end of the whistle, and when the refs want to take over the game and make it their own platform, there's nothing you can do about it. That wasn't a hold on my guy Eric Fisher. I hope [Fisher] doesn't go the entire offseason thinking it was his fault. That was horses---, flat out."