Travis Kelce has won a bunch of games and a Super Bowl since he began dating pop star, Taylor Swift. However, according to Jason Whitlock, his relationship with Swift is actually hurting his career.
After Kelce amassed a mere three catches for 34 yards in Kansas City’s opener against the Ravens last Thursday, Whitlock opined on his podcast, Fearless, that the “social pressures” of being Mr. Taylor Swift may be hindering his productivity on the field.
“I’m wondering if all of the extracurricular activities, all of the pressure and the burden of being Taylor Swift‘s boyfriend, if that, could be drawing energy and focus away from football,” Whitlock mused.
“There used to be a time when he got the ball [and] he basically turned into a big, strong, wide receiver with his ability to make people miss, get extra yards,” journalist Steve Kim responded.
“I really don’t see that anymore, and it’s only natural to have an erosion of athleticism right around your mid-30s.”
Kelce indeed had his least productive season last year in terms of yards (984), his first as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. However, as Kim alludes to, Kelce is also in his mid-thirties and has been in the league for 12 years, and it is in no way unusual for a 12th-year player to have his production drop off.
It should be noted, though, that despite lower overall production last year, Kelce was plenty dominant in the AFC Championship Game as he routinely torched Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton, one of the best cover safety’s in the game.
Given the Chiefs’ success last year, if Swift is hurting Kelce’s career, God help the league if she ever starts helping his career.
