Travis Kelce has been heavily criticised for his slow start to the NFL season, with many fans and pundits blaming his relationship with Taylor Swift for his underwhelming form
Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs star, has dismissed worries about his slow start to the NFL season, maintaining that he’s still as formidable a player as ever.
Despite only securing eight catches from 12 targets for a total of 69 yards and no touchdowns in the first three games, Kelce remains optimistic. During the Kansas City Chiefs’ 22-17 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, the 34-year-old appeared downbeat on the sidelines while his girlfriend Taylor Swift was conspicuously missing from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Many have attributed Kelce’s slowdown to his relationship with Swift and the fame it has brought him. However, despite his lackluster offensive performance at the beginning of the year, the Mirror reports Kelce is resolute that he can continue to produce the same results he’s achieved throughout his impressive 11-year NFL career.
“I think this year’s stats may say something different, but at the same time you’ll see the same person inside this building, and that’s all I really care about,” he shared with reporters on Friday. “I’m my own worst critic. Everything outside of this building is just noise.
Travis Kelce has just eight catches for 69 yards and no touchdowns this season (Image: Getty Images)
“I’m fortunate. I’ve had the success in the past and I realized that the ball can’t always go to one person. It can’t always get in my hands, but at the same time, I got all the trust in [Patrick Mahomes] to make the right decision, and he’s been making great decisions.
“We might not be putting up as [many] points as we want to, but at the same time we’re 3-0 and we’re doing something right.”
With Kelce having a tough time, several other Chiefs players have stepped up to take on the offensive burden. In the game against the Falcons, wide receiver Rashee Rice managed 12 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown, marking his second game with over 100 yards in receptions.
Backup tight end Noah Gray has caught four passes for 50 yards this season, while undrafted running back Carson Steele accumulated 72 yards on the ground in Week 3, filling in for the injured Isiah Pacheco.
“I love the way Rashee’s been playing,” Kelce expressed. “He’s fun to play with and he’s one of my favorite guys in the building. We put more trust in Noah.
It’s great to see him go out there and do the things that he can do and he’s just such a well-rounded player.
“Outside of that, [Steele], too, I think the emergence of guys stepping up to the plate and making plays for us and helping us win ball games is the most fun so far this year.”Despite the Chiefs maintaining a perfect 3-0 record this year thanks to victories over the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Falcons, Kelce insisted that there are still areas where he and his teammates need to improve. “I think there is a bit of understanding of we’re going to have to keep working and we’re not where we want to be,” he stated. “We want to win every single ball game we can and at the same time there’s a sense of urgency throughout the week to get things right for the opponent that we’re playing.
“And then on top of that, when we’re watching the games in review, we’re just nonstop trying to critique ourselves to get better.”