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Taylor Swift blamed for horror Travis Kelce scenes as Chiefs star struggles

Taylor Swift is coming under heavy fire from NFL pundits with the finger being pointed at her over boyfriend Travis Kelce’s physical change.

'I'm ready to rock, baby' - KC's Kelce confident despite slow start

Travis Kelce’s horror start to the NFL season is being blamed on his girlfriend, music megastar Taylor Swift.

One of the league’s premier tight ends, Kelce has been a shell of the player the Kansas City Chiefs have become accustomed to with fingers being pointed firmly at his relationship with Swift.

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The three-time Super Bowl winner and the music icon started dating in September 2023 with Kelce’s output falling away over the past two seasons.

The 34-year-old appears on track to once again fail to crack the 1000 total yards mark for the second straight season. He fell short of the mark last season for the first time since 2015.

As the Chiefs celebrated their second straight Super Bowl victory in February, Kelce spent a majority of his off-season following Swift’s Eras Tour around the globe.

He appeared on stage at several shows and was sighted dancing the night away in the crowd as Swift wowed her mass audiences.

Kelce is under fire with Taylor Swift being blamed. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Kelce is under fire with Taylor Swift being blamed. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

It’s his off field activities that led ESPN’s Todd McShay to stick the boots in and question his output in 2024.

“Every show I watch, every pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, weekday show, every broadcast I watch for the last few weeks, it’s like are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape,” McShay said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast referencing Kelce and Swift’s escapades earlier this month.

”That he’s been partying all offseason? He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person probably in the entire world, that he’s drinking, going to the U.S. Open,”

As an example, McShay pointed to the pair’s long weekend in New York City, where they were spotted “drinking” and having fun at the US Open following the Chiefs’ game against the Baltimore Ravens.

“I want you to take a picture from preseason 2022 and then take a picture preseason 2024, they’re barely the same human being,” the former ESPN commentator said.

“Here’s the thing, bottom line with Kelce: The coverage and the respect he gets is the same, the athlete is not. Now, is he going to work himself into shape during the season? Yeah, but he’s not the same guy right now.”

Taylor Swift is copping it. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
Taylor Swift is copping it. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
Kelce has failed to fire this season. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP
Kelce has failed to fire this season. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Kelce’s slow start to the season saw him amass only eight receptions for a total of 69 yards across the opening three games.

In comparison, by his third game last year, Kelce had 17 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Similarly, in 2022, the tight end also recorded 17 catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Kelce’s fame has grown to a worldwide audience after he and Swift went public, with the Chiefs star becoming one of the biggest faces in the league.

And it’s from that newfound worldwide attention that left many observers pointing the finger at the relationship between the pair.

One fan on X wrote: “Taylor destroyed him.”

A second added: Travis Kelce is finished. Taylor Swift sucked the life out of him.”

The loved up couple at the US Open. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
The loved up couple at the US Open. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
Sharing a smooch after the Super Bowl. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Sharing a smooch after the Super Bowl. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

While he’s capturing unfounded attention, McShay wasn’t joining the masses in pinning his struggles solely on Swift.

“You can’t be doing all of those things and still be the same person physically as you were in 2022,” McShay said.

“I’m not blaming it on Taylor Swift, I’m not blaming anything, all I’m saying is when you win two Super Bowls, you got that whole tour that happens after the Super Bowl, he’s the most commercialised guy, there’s no one else doing more commercials I don’t think in the league, he and Mahomes are up there, I think Kelce’s doing more commercials and things, he’s been at more events, doing more things socially. It’s impossible to carry that schedule and still put in the same amount of time for football.”

Kelce has been so far below his usual output. David Eulitt/Getty Images/AFP
Kelce has been so far below his usual output. David Eulitt/Getty Images/AFP

Kelce addressed his horror start to the season and said the Chiefs, despite being undefeated, aren’t playing at their best but are continuing to work on every little facet.

“We’re finding ways to win games, but we’re not playing our best football,” Kelce said on the ‘New Heights’ podcast with brother Jason Kelce.

“Everybody can clean it up. I think everyone saw my drop in the fourth quarter with that crucial third down.”

Despite his own below-par performances, the Chiefs continue to get the job done and have started the season with a perfect 4-0 record.

Led by megastar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the team are chasing a third-straight Super Bowl crown and their fourth title in six seasons.

- with NY Post

Originally published as Taylor Swift blamed for horror Travis Kelce scenes as Chiefs star struggles

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/american-sports/nfl/taylor-swift-blamed-for-horror-travis-kelce-scenes-as-chiefs-star-struggles/news-story/745ca6281901fb9cbb85134708420d86