Few NFL players are under the microscope that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is.
The Pfizer spokesman is notable not just for his pharmaceutical endorsements, but for being a very good football player.
(Many people also know Kelce for dating pop star Taylor Swift.)
Kelce has set a high standard for himself as a player due to that talent.
Whatever one may think of his corporate or dating relationships, it’s impossible to argue with three Super Bowl rings, seven total All-Pro nods, nine Pro Bowl berths and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
All things being equal, Kelce is inarguably a very good football player.
Or is it was?
Because, by his own standards, Kelce has had a miserable start to the NFL season.
Through three games this year, Kelce has notched just eight catches for 69 yards and zero touchdowns. Those are the sorts of numbers Kelce used to reproduce in a half of football, let alone six halves.
Is Travis Kelce past his prime?
Again, due to that aforementioned microscope, Kelce’s lack of productivity has been as noticeable as his demeanor — and the two came to a head during Sunday’s 22-17 road win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite the Chiefs moving to 3-0 on the season, as he has done all season, Kelce played a rather diminutive role in the win.
Kelce actually had one of his better games of the year, grabbing four catches for 30 yards but was ultimately quiet on the field.
Off the field?
Kelce was still quiet, but his facial expression spoke a thousand words, and social media was swift, no pun intended, to notice:
— 🏈👑 (@TayvisHaze) September 23, 2024
A somber Kelce was seen on the sidelines of the game, rubbing his eye and otherwise staring off into the distance while his defense was desperately trying to keep the Falcons from scoring at the end of the first half.
Outlets ripped into Kelce, with the New York Post calling the tight end’s demeanor “miserable” and OutKick calling his attitude “sad.”
The 34-year-old Kelce is now in his 12th season and is on pace to fall well shy of his 1,000-yard season standard.
The team will look to continue its undefeated season — with or without Kelce’s pass-catching, apparently — when it travels to face divisional rivals Los Angeles Chargers.
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