A well-known NFL analyst and former ESPN personality thinks he knows the reason behind Travis Kelce’s surprisingly slow start with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The defending Super Bowl champions are off to a perfect 3-0 start, having won three straight nail-biters that came down to the wire. But Kelce has hardly been a factor in the Chiefs’ strong start, with only eight receptions for 69 yards and no touchdowns.
Currently, Kelce is on pace for under 400 yards receiving. His “worst” statistical season since becoming a full-time starter came in 2014, when Kelce still produced a stellar 67-862-5 stat line.
During an appearance on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast”, former ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay suggested that Travis Kelce is off to a slow start because the All-Pro tight end is “out of shape” and partied way too much during the offseason:
“Every show I watch, every pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, weekday show, every broadcast I watch for the last few weeks, it’s like are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape, that he’s been partying all offseason? He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person probably in the entire world, that’s he drinking, going to the U.S. Open.”
Kelce is in a highly-publicized relationship with Grammy Award-winning singer Taylor Swift, and he attended some of her “Eras Tour” concerts. Still, it’s not like he completely avoided the gym and went off his strict diet throughout the offseason.
The 34-year-old Travis Kelce could have easily walked away with three Super Bowl rings, tens of millions of dollars and a guaranteed spot in the Hall of Fame in his back pocket. But his competitive drive and will to win brought Kelce back for another year, so it’s a stretch to believe that his offseason lifestyle is what’s contributing to the slow start.
Chiefs Need The Old Travis Kelce Back
The Chiefs may be 3-0, but they’re also a few unlucky bounces away from being 1-2 or even 0-3. They were the beneficiary of several mind-numbing mistakes by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, and a three-peat isn’t going to be easy if the offense continues to struggle with consistency.
Kansas City needs Kelce to rediscover that All-Pro form if they’re going to repeat, especially with running back Isiah Pacheco and wide receiver Marquise Brown out long-term.
