Travis Kelce’s bad form has been a matter of concern for the Chiefs this season and the question on everyone’s mind is whether the 34-year-old would make a comeback or not.
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In the first three games, Kelce only had 8 receptions and 69 yards–a big step down from his incredible 2023 run. Rob Parker & Kelvin Washington talked about Travis’s dwindling performance on The Odd Couple Show. Washington had a unique take on Kelce and attributed the performance slump to his age and busy life. He said:
“Travis Kelce in football years is 62. He has finally come down to earth as we kept saying long ago.”
He explained that there is too much stuff on Travis’s plate and juggling everything becomes progressively more difficult with age.
“Listen. commercials, travelling, new haircuts, podcasts, hanging out with your brother and doing all this stuff. Yes, he will get mad right now if he’s listening to us. We aren’t saying it’s singularly this, but when you mix all of that, you mix it with his ageing.”
However, he expects Travis to bounce back and regain the form that made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league.
In Washington’s opinion, the TE’s other ventures aren’t the only reason for his struggles as opposing defenses have come to understand the Chiefs’ strong points and intentionally targeted Travis. He has become the “focal point” of enemy defenses, as Washington put it.
Even Patrick Mahomes has realized this evolution in the strategy of their opponents and how they now specifically target the TE while leaving the wide receivers open.
However, the strategy doesn’t seem to be working out as the Chiefs have registered wins in all 3 games, thanks to strong performances by the young receivers.
However, fans and analysts are still blaming Travis’s scattered focus and myriad of side quests for his bad form, including a former Patriots safety, who played in the league for 15 seasons and won two Super Bowls.
2x Super Bowl thinks Travis “doing a lot”
Player-turned-analyst Rodney Harrison called out Travis for his bad performance this season. He claimed that the TE was “doing a lot of different things—media-wise” and it was affecting his performance on the football field.
He added that football requires a 100% commitment and the only way to recover is to only focus on the game.
In the last 2 years, Travis has become a household name thanks to his role in the team’s Super Bowl wins and his relationship with Taylor Swift. He has been cashing out on this popularity by appearing in TV commercials and even signed a $100 million podcast deal with Amazon.
With so many balls to juggle, it’s natural that the tight end’s on-field performance would be under higher scrutiny by his critics.
But to shut down the critics, ensure his longevity in the league, and have a crucial hand in the team’s three-peat, he would need to bring back the spark that made him a first-team All-Pro.
