In the opening games of the 2024 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has shown signs of slowing down, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith didn’t shy away from addressing the potential reasons behind his low productivity.
During Monday’s episode of First Take, Smith took a playful dig at Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, speculating whether the pop star might be playing a part in the 34-year-old’s underwhelming start to the season.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift left the stadium hand in hand
Stephen A. Smith: Honeymoon is over
“I love my brother from another in Travis Kelce, but we saw more of Taylor Swift than we saw of Travis Kelce yesterday, on a Sunday afternoon,”Smith said, referring to Swift’s appearance during CBS’s broadcast of Kansas City’s Week 2 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Kelce, a nine-time Pro Bowler, has struggled to make his usual impact on the field.
Through two games, he has been targeted just seven times, recording four catches for 39 yards.
In the Chiefs’ win against the Bengals, Kelce had only one reception for five yards, far below the standards fans have come to expect.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen [Sunday]. We were supposed to see more of Travis Kelce than we saw of her,”Smith continued, adding, “Honeymoon’s over. Let’s handle our business, OK.”
Kelce’s decline in numbers coincides with his increasingly public relationship with Swift, a point of conversation among fans and media alike.
However, it’s not just Smith raising concerns.
“We saw more Taylor Swift than we saw of Travis Kelce yesterday.”@stephenasmith says the Chiefs were lucky to win despite Travis Kelce having one catch 👀 pic.twitter.com/P7ecr6nuFm
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 16, 2024
Chiefs’ offensive strategy focused on wide receivers
Kelce’s lack of production has been noticed, particularly with the Chiefs’ offense adjusting to new players like Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.
Still, head coach Andy Reid dismissed the notion that Kelce is slowing down due to age or off-field distractions.
“He’ll get his catches. It’s not that he’s slowing down or any of that bit… It’s just teams focus on him and kind of know he’s been [Patrick Mahomes’] go-to guy,”Reid said after the game.
While Smith’s remarks were partly in jest, he made it clear Kelce needs to ramp up his performance as the Chiefs aim for another deep playoff run.
“You’ve got 39 receiving yards in the first two games. Come on now. Football season is here.”
Despite Kelce’s slow start, the Chiefs have managed to win both of their games, thanks in part to players like Rice, who Smith praised for stepping up.
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“Rashee Rice had five catches for 75 yards, so that’s good… That brother talked before the game and then went out on the field and backed it up,”Smith commented.
As Kelce and the Chiefs prepare to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, all eyes will be on whether the star tight end can bounce back – or if Taylor Swift’s presence will continue to be a talking point on and off the field.
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