Travis Kelce told to RETIRE by analysts and fans amid career-worst stats, Taylor Swift controversy and TV distrac…see more

Travis Kelce told to RETIRE by analysts and fans amid career-worst stats, Taylor Swift controversy and TV distractions

NFL analysts and fans are adamant Travis Kelce is hurtling towards retirement after his latest performance continued the worst form of his NFL career.

Kelce played a peripheral role again on Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs extended their perfect start to the season to 3-0 with a 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

The 34-year-old, whose girlfriend Taylor Swift missed a game for the first time this season, was caught by TV cameras looking particularly miserable on the sideline in a clip which went viral.

The 34-year-old, whose girlfriend Taylor Swift missed a game for the first time this season, was caught by TV cameras looking particularly miserable on the sideline in a clip which went viral.

Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, only had four catches for 30 yards in Atlanta as his sluggish start to the season continued after similar performances against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.

NBC’s lead analyst Cris Collinsworth admitted he was ‘flabbergasted’ by Kelce on Sunday night, having also watched him struggle in week one against the Ravens.

He said on commentary: ‘I’m just flabbergasted. I mean, one game, big deal. Two games, alright.

‘This is the third game now where we have not seen the magic of (Patrick) Mahomes and Kelce, and I can’t really explain that one.’

Rodney Harrison, another NBC analyst, blamed Kelce’s latest lackluster performance on his other commitments.

He said: ‘He’s busy. He’s got a lot on his plate. You think about it. He’s doing a lot of different things. Media-wise, he’s playing football, he’s got other things going on.

‘When you’re in that situation you’ve got to forget about everything else and focus 100 per cent on football. That’s the main responsibility.

‘Guys are making plays on him. Jesse Bates did a heck of a job on him tonight.

‘He (Kelce) just doesn’t have the same speed. He’s a good player still but I don’t believe he’s a great, great player.’

Perhaps the clearest indication of Kelce’s tumbling support in football right now is that his loudest supporters are Taylor Swift fans.

The criticism, in particular from Harrison, drew a furious reaction from Swifties and they took to social media to defend him.

One posted: ‘This is such a bs talking point. Because if you actually paid attention to Trav, he’s 150% locked in on football.

‘Outside of the podcast (that he films on his off day), we do not see him. All of the “stuff” you see him involved with was done during the off season. I’m tired.’

Another tagged Harrison into their post and wrote: ‘@Rodney_Harrison I see you have a family, but what I don’t see if you saying that your wife is distracting you from your job. Keep Travis’s personal life away from the game, or put yours into it.’

‘There’s no way. Travis stays late at the facility getting more reps in and they decide to say that’, added a third Swiftie.

Kelce’s statistics in comparison to recent years show an obvious downturn in performance.

After his first three games in 2023, Kelce had recorded 17 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

He opened the 2022 season with 17 receptions for 230 yards and two touchdowns across his first three games.

In the same period in 2021, he managed 20 receptions for 289 yards and three touchdowns.

So far this season he’s yet to score and has only managed eight receptions for 69 yards, which is the lowest for any three-game stretch of his entire career.