REPORT: Chiefs Superstar TE Travis Kelce Was “Freaked Out” By Relationship With Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (Photos via Getty Images)Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce reportedly, and understandably, struggled to grasp the skyrocketing publicity during the early stages of his relationship with Grammy Award-winning singer Taylor Swift.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are approaching the one-year anniversary of their highly-publicized relationship. Their romance was essentially confirmed to the public when Swift attended the Chiefs Week 3, 2023 home game against the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kelce is one of the most well-known athletes in America, of course. But there’s no way of preparing yourself for additional fame and publicity when you’re dating one of the world’s most universally recognized and beloved celebrities.
One source told US Weekly that Swift was initially worried about how Kelce would handle the public spotlight. However, his ability to handle it all “made her fall in love with him even more”, the source said:
“His life has changed significantly with the increased public attention. Taylor was worried that bringing Travis into her world would scare him away, but he embraced it and handled it so well.”
Additionally, another source said that Travis Kelce was initially “freaked out” by the amount of people showing up to the new home he had just moved into as their relationship gained publicity:
“People would show up at his house and leave things on his doorstep. It kind of freaked him out at first. He didn’t feel safe.”
Taylor Swift had an epic afterparty after her three back-to-back shows in Dublin. Paramore, Stevie Nicks and (of course) Travis Kelce all celebrated with her at a bar in the area.
Details: https://t.co/ipK0uIGZZe pic.twitter.com/ClNs2ujEPm
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) July 2, 2024
Kelce’s relationship with Swift should be a good reminder to the public that being rich and famous isn’t as easy and glamorous as it may seem. As strong as their relationship appears, it’s not easy for Kelce to deal with the media attention and publicity he’s receiving.
Swift attended the majority of Kansas City’s games in 2023, including all four playoff games and their victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.
Travis Kelce & Chiefs Aim To Make NFL History In 2024
The Chiefs’ victory over San Francisco made them the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003 and ’04 New England Patriots. Up next, Kansas City will try and become the first team to win three straight Super Bowl titles.
That quest will begin with a Week 1 home contest against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Kickoff Game on Sept. 5.
Why Travis Kelce’s 2024 NFL Season Is Off To A Slow Start?
Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Let’s be real—nobody expected this kind of start from Travis Kelce. Through three games in the 2024 season, the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end has caught only eight passes for merely 69 yards and, shockingly, hasn’t scored a single touchdown. For fantasy football owners, this is the stuff of nightmares. For die-hard Chiefs fans, it’s just…weird. Kelce, one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, is struggling to make his usual impact on the field. So, what’s going on?
Kelce, now 34, signed a lucrative two-year, $34.5 million contract extension with the Chiefs in April. But right now, it seems like something’s off. To really get why his slow start has become such a hot topic, we need to understand why the expectations are sky-high for the nine-time Pro Bowler—and why his coaches, teammates, and even fans are chiming in. Let’s dive into the details and figure out if this is just a bump in the road or a sign of something bigger.
Why Travis Kelce’s Slow Start is a Big Deal?
TE Travis Kelce (Image Credit: Getty Images)
This isn’t just any player we’re talking about. This is Travis Kelce, the guy who’s been dominating defenses for a decade. The three-time Super Bowl champion and four-time First-Team All-Pro has redefined what a tight end can do in the NFL. Just two years ago, during his first three games of the 2022 season, Kelce had already racked up 184 yards on 17 receptions. By the end of that season, he’d hit career highs in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,338), and touchdowns (12).
Now, fast forward to 2024, and Kelce’s numbers look…completely different. In his first three games this season, he’s on pace to finish with just 45 catches and a paltry 391 yards. For comparison, he recorded his lowest season total of 862 yards in 2014—more than double his current projection. Kelce hasn’t found the end zone in his last nine regular-season games, dating back to the 2023 season. This has left fans and analysts wondering—what’s happening with one of the game’s best?
Is This a Sign of Decline?
While Kelce’s slow start might be shocking, it isn’t entirely out of the blue. At the end of the 2023 regular season, Kelce went six games without a touchdown. However, he silenced any doubters by turning it up in the playoffs, where he recorded 355 receiving yards and three touchdowns in four postseason games.
But this year, the lack of production feels different, especially with his Week 2 performance against the Bengals—where he had just one reception for five yards. That marked the first time since September 2018 that Kelce failed to catch at least three passes in a game.
Is Patrick Mahomes Targeting Travis Kelce Less?
Chiefs Kelce and Mahomes together (Image Credit: Getty Images)
It’s not like Mahomes isn’t looking for Kelce. The problem? Defenses are throwing everything at him. Through the first three games of 2024, Mahomes has targeted Kelce just 12 times, with a 66% success rate. His 7.5 targets per game last season dropped significantly, with an even steeper decline from the 8.9 targets per game in 2022.
According to Mahomes, it’s not for lack of trying. “The respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal,” Mahomes said after the Chiefs’ 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on September 22. “We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis, but it’s like two or three guys are always on him.”
Travis Kelce’s Perspective on His Slow Start
Kelce’s perspective on his game (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Despite the rough start, Kelce is taking everything in stride—at least publicly. On the “New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce, he addressed the issue head-on during the September 18 episode. “I stopped caring about stats four or five years ago,” he said. “I just go out there, play free, and play for my guys. Sure enough, I think that’s the better mentality.”
Kelce acknowledged that the last two games haven’t gone his way, but he’s keeping a positive mindset.
“That’s football, man. I’m not going to sit here and get frustrated about it. I used to get really pissed off, almost lose my cool when things didn’t go my way, but I’ve learned to just play the game.”
Still, Kelce’s frustration was hard to miss during the Chiefs’ Week 3 game against the Falcons, where NBC’s cameras caught him looking visibly upset on the sidelines. Even veteran analyst Cris Collinsworth noted, “I’m flabbergasted. We’re three games in, and we just haven’t seen that Mahomes and Kelce magic.”
What does the Coaching Staff Think?
Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy isn’t worried about Kelce’s slow start, and he wants fans to trust the process. “He knows who he is, and we know who he is. That’s important to have in a player,” Nagy said in a press conference on September 19. He added, “It’s just a matter of time before things click.”
Who Do the Chiefs Face Next?
Kelce and the Chiefs are gearing up to face the Los Angeles Chargers on September 29 at SoFi Stadium. After that, they’ll be back at Arrowhead for a Monday night showdown against the New Orleans Saints on October 7. The big question remains as the season continues—can Kelce bounce back and prove he’s still one of the best tight ends in the league? Only time will tell.
VIDEO: Everyone Was Saying The Same Thing About The Jaw-Dropping USC Song Girls Who Completely Stole The Show In Las Vegas On Sunday Night
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USC Song Girls (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The USC Song Girls are a beloved group, and they found themselves being talked about a lot on Sunday night.
Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans were on cloud nine during their primetime game against the LSU Tigers.
No. 23 USC took down No. 13 LSU 27-20 with a successful two-minute drill to win the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic.
Amid that game were many fans noticing the USC Song Girls.
Many videos and pictures would surface online as the popular cheerleading group was praised for their looks and performance.
The USC Song Girls are a renowned spirit and dance team at USC. They’ve performed and cheered at athletic events since 1968.
In 2018, the renowned group celebrated 50 years of thrilling crowds with school spirit and goodwill.
Former USC Song Girls Detailed Toxic Team Environment
Not everything that glitters is gold.
Ten former members of the USC Song Girls detailed a toxic culture within the program back in 2021, as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 2021.
The report stated the women discussed “a toxic culture within the famed collegiate dance team that included longtime former coach Lori Nelson rebuking women publicly for their eating habits, personal appearance and sex lives.”
It further added that the former members “faced serious body image issues within the program that went beyond normal fitness required to be on a spirit squad.”
Three members said their time with the Song Girls led to “some form of eating disorder,” while another member experienced severe depression and even thought about taking her own life.
The USC Song Girls reportedly also had to sign a contract that stated they needed to “stay within five pounds of their audition weight.”
Former coach Lori Nelson led the team for over three decades before resigning in 2020 amid a Title IX investigation that was launched against her.
