Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce started the 2024 season at a slower pace than fans expected.
Coming off his ninth Pro Bowl season, Kelce has been targeted just seven times and has four catches for 39 yards, including one catch for five yards in last weekend's Chiefs-Cincinnati Bengals game.
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attend the U.S. Open in New York on September 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Kelce was injured in the first game of the 2023 season. When he finally took the field, he caught four of nine targets for 26 yards and a touchdown. In his second game, he caught seven of eight targets for 69 yards and a touchdown.
As he approaches his 35th birthday, the 34-year-old star looks just like a 35-year-old footballer.
But is there anyone else to blame? ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith seems to think so, bringing up Taylor Swift when discussing Kelsey's performance on Monday's “First Take.”
“As much as I love my quirky brother Travis Kelce, I saw more Taylor Swift than I saw Travis Kelce yesterday Sunday afternoon,” Smith said. “That wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to see more Travis Kelce than I saw her yesterday.”
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes watch a match between Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz during the U.S. Open on September 8, 2024 in New York City. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Taylor Swift attends Patrick Mahomes' 29th birthday party
“But that's not going to happen. I've got to work harder. I had 39 yards receiving in my first two games. Now, football season is here. The honeymoon is over. Let's get to work, OK?”
That may also be part of the game plan. Through the first two games, Kansas City tight ends have been targeted just 11 times. Three were targeted — Kelce, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley. The team used Isaiah Pacheco and Xavier Worthy as backups to Russie Rice earlier this year.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked if the team was making an extra effort to recruit Kelce.
“It's definitely something they've been trying out there,” Reid said Monday. “He's going to make the catches. It's not that he's lost speed or anything like that. It's not that it's about that, it's just that teams are looking at him and they know he's Pat's (Mahomes) go-to guy. But what it's done for Soren (Petro) is he's been able to utilize the guys around him and they're making a difference.”
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce catches a pass at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 15, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
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But with Pacheco injured, one of the tight ends will need to step up even more and get open for Patrick Mahomes.
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