Mike Francesa said the Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid would be “foolish” to not question Travis Kelce's commitment to football while he's “flying around the world” with girlfriend Taylor Swift.
Latest “Mike Francesa Podcast” The host discussed why the Chiefs tight end's performance has dropped off dramatically, suggesting he may be distracted by the fame in his 12th NFL season.
“As an organization and as a coach, you have to ask how committed Kelsey is to the sport right now,” Francesa said. “A lot has happened for him. His life has changed dramatically. You see him in commercials and photo shoots, and you see how he now pays so much attention to everything, how he dresses, where the paparazzi are positioned.”
“It changed his life. And it makes you wonder what football and football preparation has to do with that.”
Kelsey and Swift, both 34, began dating last summer and went public with their relationship in October when they were seen holding hands and out together in New York City.
Since then, Kelsey has appeared in numerous commercials, made television appearances, and been on the cover of the WSJ. He will host the upcoming show, Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? Amazon.
However, Kelce hasn't had much success on the field as of the start of the 2024 NFL season.
He currently has eight catches for 69 yards and zero touchdowns entering Week 4.
“When you see the safeties take the ball away from him in big moments and just lethargically run away from him and just see him look ineffectual game after game, it's puzzling, but then again, how much of that is his fault?” Francesa said.
“How much of that is due to his preparation and dedication? And is it fair to come full circle and mention it?”
“… Obviously at this stage of his career, it makes you wonder where his commitment and preparation is, because his performance has dropped off dramatically. And it's not just, 'Oh, the Chiefs are moving on from Kelce.' It's not just that.”
“…It's very human. His life has changed. He's now flying around the world with one of the most famous people in the world. His life is a photo opportunity.”
Francesa went on to explain that the Chiefs star's older brother, Jason Kelce, was waiting to retire from the NFL in March to focus on his off-field success.
In August, the brothers signed a $100 million deal with Amazon to distribute their “New Heights” podcast.
“The shows he's on are getting a lot of buzz. He's in commercials with his brother who's no longer in the sport. He's not playing anymore so he can be a talent and take care of commercials and appearances and podcasts,” Francesa said.
“But nobody expected [Travis] “Kelsey's not playing anymore, and right now he's not playing well and it raises some very legitimate questions.”
Francesa added that it would be “crazy” to think Kelsey's life off the field hasn't affected his play, but he's not close enough to the situation to know for sure.
“But how much does it mean to the Chiefs? [to win close games against the Ravens and Bengals]” he said.
Kelce played little role in the Chiefs' three-game winning streak to start the season.
The three-time Super Bowl champion had limited production in the passing game in Kansas City's first two wins, but caught five passes for four yards and 30 yards in the Chiefs' 22-17 win over the Falcons on Sunday night in Atlanta.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a close friend of Kelce's off the field, explained that the nine-time Pro Bowl player isn't as open as he used to be because the team is placing more emphasis on covering him.
“The respect the team has for Travis is incredible, and it's well deserved.” Mahomes said “I call a lot of plays for Travis, but he has a couple of people huddle around him,” he said after Sunday's win over Atlanta. “He gets it. He wants to impact the game, but at the end of the day, he wants to win, and that's what's great about him.”
“Whenever he’s out there, whenever he’s open, we’re just going to do our best to keep feeding him the ball. [second-year wideout] Laci [Rice] The more you play, the more you can run the football, the more you can get. [receiver Xavier] “I think having Worthy involved gives Travis more room to maneuver. Everybody's making a big deal about trying to take him out, but it opens up the room for other guys.”
Kelce also spoke about his slow start on the “New Heights” podcast after Week 2.
“I often found myself getting really angry and losing my cool when I wasn't successful, knowing that I demanded it of myself. I like to play the game with a very high level of accountability, so it's hard for me to deal with mediocre performances and the statistics that represent them.” Kelsey said Last Wednesday.
“For whatever reason, the last two games haven't gone well for me. That's football. I'm not going to sit here and be frustrated.”
Kelce agreed to a contract extension with the Chiefs in April that will keep him in the NFL through 2025, making him the highest-paid tight end in the league.
According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, the contract adds two years to his current signing bonus of $34.25 million.
The Chiefs (3-0) will face the Chargers (2-1) in Los Angeles on Sept. 29.
