Chiefs boss shuts down Taylor Swift distraction talk

The Kansas City Chiefs may be chasing History as they aim for their third consecutive Super Bowl title, but for the current news cycle, the spotlight seems to have shifted to one of their biggest stars, tight end Travis Kelce. Strangely enough, it’s not his on-field heroics – or the lack thereof – that’s making waves, but the iNFLuence of the pop megastar who’s by his side: Taylor Swift. And not for the first time.

Is the Taylor Swift charm losing its magic?

With the Chiefs sitting comfortably at 3-0 (although it’s fair to say that the Games have been tight), one might assume all is well in Kansas City. However, some fans have grown somewhat restless over Kelce’s lackluster start to the 2024 season. The four-time All-Pro has only eight catches for 69 yards through three Games and has yet to find the end zone – a stat line more suited to an average tight end, not a future Hall of Famer. His most recent outing, a 30-yard performance in a win over the Atlanta Falcons, has fans scratching their heads, and some, naturally, are looking for someone to blame. Enter Swift.

Yes, some have made up their mind that Kelce’s very public relationship with Swift is the root of his on-field issues. After all, a few highly-publicised dates could clearly distract even the most disciplined athlete, right? Well, that’s been the narrative, with media pundits speculating that the pop queen’s presence is affecting Kelce’s Game. Swift has become an easy target for frustrated fans hoping to explain away Kelce’s sluggish start, despite her being seen as a lucky charm for many months before this campaign.

Andy Reid says Trav keeps being Trav

But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is having none of it. The man with two Super Bowl rings knows a thing or two about distractions, and he wasn’t about to entertain the idea that a Grammy-winning girlfriend was the source of Kelce’s problems.

“I know people are saying that he’s old or that he has distractions, but defences don’t think that,” Reid remarked dryly when asked about Kelce’s slow start. “Trav is fine. He just keeps being Trav. He works his tail off. He hasn’t lost a step. He’s not distracted.”

With a Week 4 matchup looming against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kelce has ample opportunity to turn things around. And the Chiefs, well, they’re too focused on stacking wins to worry about any off-field gossip. So while Travis may be catching some flak, rest assured, Taylor Swift isn’t the one helping out Mahomes. Chiefs Kingdom, it’s time to calm down.