Well, it looks like Travis Kelce can’t catch a break these days, both on and off the field. After a lackluster performance in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Atlanta Falcons, the tight end’s commitment to football is being called into question, and leading the charge is none other than sports radio’s king of crankiness, Mike Francesa.
Francesa, never one to mince words, took to his Mike Francesa Podcast to air his grievances about Kelce’s recent on-field struggles. And naturally, Francesa is pointing the finger at Kelce’s high-profile romance with pop sensation Taylor Swift. Because, in Francesa’s world, you can’t be a top athlete and have a celebrity girlfriend without your game falling apart, right?
“Kelce’s life has taken a radical change,” Francesa huffed on his show, accusing the Chiefs star of prancing around the globe in a series of “photo ops” rather than focusing on football. Apparently, appearing in a few commercials and, heaven forbid, caring about your wardrobe means you’re no longer serious about your sport. Francesa wasn’t shy about questioning how much Kelce is preparing for games, adding that it’s more than just the Chiefs shifting away from their star tight end. According to Francesa, Kelce’s whole life has shifted, and not in the right direction for his football career.
SHE’S GOT BAD JUJU
Mike Francesa Questions Travis Kelce‘s Dedication to Football Amid Taylor Swift Romance: ‘Prancing Around the Globe‘ https://t.co/pCylbXqlAN via @BreitbartNews
— Anabomb25 (@RamirezComm) September 24, 2024
And honestly, Francesa isn’t alone in this line of thinking. Kelce’s numbers through the first three games of the season have been—let’s be generous—subpar. With only eight catches for 69 yards and zero touchdowns, it’s hardly the type of production we’ve come to expect from the man who’s been one of the league’s most dominant tight ends for over a decade. Compare that to last season, when Kelce had 17 receptions, 152 yards, and two touchdowns by this time, and you can see why people are starting to ask what’s going on.
Then, of course, there’s the viral clip of Kelce looking absolutely miserable during the Chiefs’ win over the Falcons. This is not the guy who’s usually dancing in the end zone or hyping up the crowd. Instead, he looked like someone who’d rather be anywhere else—maybe at a Taylor Swift concert?
NBC’s Cris Collinsworth seemed just as baffled as the rest of us. “I’m just flabbergasted,” Collinsworth said during the broadcast. “We haven’t seen the magic of Patrick Mahomes and Kelce.” The once-unstoppable Mahomes-Kelce connection now seems as rare as a Taylor Swift ballad without heartbreak.
But Francesa, Collinsworth, and pretty much every NFL fan watching this season aren’t just imagining things. Something is off. Even Rodney Harrison of NBC joined the fray, blaming Kelce’s lackluster performance on his extracurricular commitments. “He’s got a lot on his plate,” Harrison said, alluding to Kelce’s media appearances, football, and—you guessed it—his budding relationship with Swift. Harrison even suggested Kelce doesn’t have the same speed he once did and isn’t the “great, great player” he used to be.
Is Kelce on the verge of retirement at 34? NFL analysts are starting to ask the question. After all, football’s a demanding sport, and Kelce’s age and mileage on the field are definitely factors. Combine that with the distractions of dating one of the world’s most famous pop stars, and it’s no wonder Francesa and others are wondering where Kelce’s priorities lie.
But here’s the thing—can we really chalk up Kelce’s sluggish start to his relationship with Swift? Sure, he’s in the spotlight more than usual, but that doesn’t automatically mean he’s forgotten how to play football. Athletes, especially ones of Kelce’s caliber, are used to balancing multiple things in their lives. The real question might be whether he’s dealing with some physical wear and tear that’s catching up with him after years of dominating the gridiron.
Either way, it’s safe to say Francesa won’t be buying any tickets to the inevitable Swift-Kelce joint appearance on the red carpet. But before we rush to declare Kelce’s career over, maybe we should give him a few more games to bounce back. After all, the NFL season is long, and if there’s one thing we know about Travis Kelce, it’s that he thrives on proving people wrong. And who knows? Maybe he’ll be singing “Shake It Off” by the season’s end.
