It turns out Travis Kelce isn’t done yet.
With his seven-catch, 89-yard performance in Kansas City’s 17-10 game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Mr. Taylor Swift may have quieted the mounting criticism he received during his heavy offseason partying.
That he made just eight receptions through the Chiefs’ first three games only seemed to confirm fears that he was unprepared for the 2024 season. But as CBS’ broadcast duo Jim Nantz and Tony Romo pointed out Sunday at SoFi Stadium, Kelce is far from done.
“Kelce is back,” Romo, the retired Dallas Cowboys quarterback, told Nantz.
“All good shots, you’ll have to find someone else to troll this week,” Nantz replied, breaking somewhat from his usually deferential demeanor.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was accused of being out of shape entering the 2024 season
CBS’s Tony Romo (left) and Jim Nantz (right) announce Super Bowl LVIII
Kelce has faced constant criticism in recent years for everything from his constant publicity and his relationship with Swift to his approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. But with his lackluster production in Weeks 1 through 3, many critics had pointed to Kelce’s hard partying in the offseason for an explanation.
“Every show I watch, every pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, midweek show, every broadcast I watch over the last few weeks, it’s like, can’t we just say he’s out of shape?” Todd McShay, a former NFL Draft analyst for ESPN, said on The Ryne Russilo podcast.
‘That he’s been partying all season? He’s touring with the most famous person, probably in the whole world. That he drinks…goes to the US Open.’
McShay doubled down, saying Kelce’s “body is different” and “he’s not in the same shape.”
“I don’t see the same explosiveness,” McShay said. “I see it’s a little worn out during the game.”
Taylor Swift was at the Chiefs’ first two games this season before skipping last week’s game
McShay did admit that Kelce could “get himself back into shape,” and that may already be the case judging by his Week 4 efforts.
Sunday was not only big for Kelce, but also for the Chiefs, who improved to 4-0 despite another slow start.
“We didn’t play well,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said after completing 20 of 29 passes for the day. “But I think the best thing is that no one talks about it and they’re starting to, but our defense is really good. They know how to close the door and keep us in the game. Then they think the offense will eventually find a way to score enough points.”
Without Swift on hand, Kelce recorded his 917th career catch, breaking Tony Gonzalez’s franchise record.
Rashee Rice and his fellow recipients wore custom t-shirts to show their support for Kelce
It certainly didn’t hurt that Los Angeles All-Pro safety Derwin James was suspended for illegal hits. However, Kelce still received plenty of defensive attention in the absence of Chiefs receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who is out indefinitely, and Rashee Rice, who may be lost Sunday to a season-ending knee injury.
Nevertheless, Kelce still had his biggest gain of the season: a 38-yard reception in the first half down the right sideline.
The Chiefs have now won six straight over the Chargers and eleven straight on the road within the AFC West.
“I’m proud of our guys for hanging in there,” head coach Andy Reid said afterwards. ‘That could easily have gone in a different direction, but the boys supported each other.’