Travis Kelce believes his newfound fame from dating Taylor Swift caused a dip in his NFL form last season, according to reports.
Kelce had one of the most underwhelming seasons of his career in 2024 from a statistical standpoint, putting up some of his worst numbers ever before going largely anonymous in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
His abject showing against the Eagles also came less than 48 hours after he and Swift controversially headed out on a pre-Super Bowl date night with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes in New Orleans, which raised concerns given how close it was to the game.
Following the loss, the Chiefs tight end has rarely been seen out in public with his girlfriend after opting to keep a low-profile for the first time in their relationship.
And according to US Weekly, both Travis and Taylor have realized that ‘so much attention on their relationship is not the best thing.’
A source told the magazine that the pair are enjoying a much-needed breather from their whirlwind life in the public eye, which Kelce feels may have contributed to his struggles on the field last year.
Travis wants to take [a breather] from the public eye,’ the insider is quoted as saying. ‘He was working too much last
The source added: ‘He wants to have a good season and not have the focus be on his relationship with Taylor.’
Amid the increased level of spotlight that comes with dating the most famous popstar on the planet, Travis has thrown himself into countless new ventures off the field as he cashes in on his international fame.
The 35-year-old made his acting debut in the FX horror series ‘Grotesquerie’ last year, while also starring as host of Prime Video’s ‘Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?’
He even landed a cameo role in the upcoming Happy Gilmore sequel, which is being released on Netflix over the summer.
Yet after seeing his form plummet last season and even weighing up retirement, Kelce is taking a much-needed breather in the offseason with Swift, who has time on her hands after wrapping up the Eras Tour at the end of 2024.
The songstress has also been overwhelmed since their romance began, having attended several Chiefs games to much fanfare while carrying out her worldwide tour.
Now their respective schedules are free, Taylor and Travis are understood to be either watching movies or working out in their downtime, while also seeing each other’s families.
‘Just doing nothing at all has been a dream of theirs for a while,’ the source continued.
‘Obviously the [Eras Tour] threw them into the spotlight,’ another insider said. ‘[Now] they’re enjoying some R&R after working their butts off, making the most of their time off.
‘They’re fully living their best lives.’
In January of last year, a report emerged claiming Kelce’s managers were concerned fans might become sick of the sight of him amid his endless media appearances.
The Eanes brothers, who run A&A Management and signed Travis as the company’s second client, had projected to make the tight end as famous as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson but later worried his fame might have gone too far.
They told the New York Times that they feared the world could grow numb to Kelce if there is too much of him in the media.
The issue has led to a new game plan for 2024, Aaron explained, one that centered around carefully curating his brand.
He said the New Year would bring fewer deals with a focus on ‘quality over quantity’ and ‘authenticity first’.
Andre and Aaron have already successfully built up a profile for their Super Bowl-winning client – one that stands out from the average NFL player.
Throughout 2023, Kelce landed advertisement deals with Pfizer and Experian while even hosting Saturday Night Live.
He also starred in commercials for Garage Beer, Pepsi, Lowe’s, Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast and more in 2024.
