Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has come to Travis Kelce’s defense after the tight end’s slow start to the 2024 NFL season – only to reunite with former tight end Jody Fortson shortly after.
The nine-time Pro Bowler found himself under heavy scrutiny due to his lack of production in the first three weeks of the new campaign. Some have linked the slump to his relationship with Taylor Swift and the public attention it attracts.
“We have another receiver [Rashee Rice] that plays opposite him that has a lot of yards and catches and that’s how this thing goes. He works his tail off and he hasn’t lost his step and all those things and he’s not distracted.
“That’s not the case. People are making sure they have him taken care of by some of these defenses.” At the same time, the Chiefs are making sure they have alternatives at the tight end position while Kelce is trying to bounce back.
Kansas City signed Fortson to the practice squad on Thursday, per Chiefs beat writer Matt Derrick. The New York native, who spent five years with the team after going undrafted in 2019, replaced rookie tight end Baylor Cupp, who’d been put on the injured list.
The move comes a month after the back-to-back Super Bowl champs traded for Dallas Cowboys tight end Peyton Hendershot. Since then, Hendershot has been waived and signed to their practice squad, too.
The Chiefs approach the Week 4 clash against the Los Angeles Chargers with Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley as active tight ends on their 53-man roster. Kelce appeared to be in a particularly bad mood after Sunday’s 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons, which Swift did not attend.
