Travis Kelce was once again a shadow of his former self for the Kansas City Chiefs after Taylor Swift skipped their first NFL game of the season on Sunday night.
And as he struggled to make an impact in the 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Chiefs tight end cut a miserable figure on the sidelines in a clip that went viral on social media.
A fed-up Kelce, who had just four receptions for 30 yards in Atlanta, could be seen rubbing his right eye before staring dejectedly into space as he sat on the bench late in the first half.
Fans were quick to notice his dejected body language, with one writing on X: “This man looks TIRED.”
Another posted after Taylor’s no-show: “He got hit with a Swift.”
Travis Kelce looked miserable on the sidelines on his final night off for the Chiefs.
A third comment: “Travis Kelce appears to be completely DONE.”
One of them even concluded: “This is his last season, whether he repeats the title or not. I don’t think he gives a damn about football.”
It’s been an unusually slow start to the season for the 34-year-old, who is looking to add a fourth Super Bowl ring to his collection in 2024.
His return against the Falcons means he now has just 69 yards in three games, although he did manage to double his reception total to eight.
Kelce’s latest off-night came after Swift failed to appear in a Chiefs game for the first time this season.
The pop megastar was not present in Atlanta despite her free schedule, as she is enjoying a break from her international Eras Tour.
On Saturday, Swift was spotted on a casual night out with her BFF Gigi Hadid in New York City, where she rocked a plaid miniskirt as they grabbed a bite to eat at The Corner Store restaurant in SoHo.
Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, was not present at the game for the first time this season.
And once again, the Chiefs’ tight end failed to make a real impact on the game.
He had four receptions for just 30 yards on the night, resulting in another subpar showing.
But despite many expecting her to show up in Atlanta, she turned down the chance to follow Kelce and Kansas City on the road.
Swift attended the Chiefs’ first two games of the 2024 season, both played in Kansas City.
He also logged thousands of air miles following the team last season, including traveling more than 5,000 miles from Tokyo to Las Vegas to get to the Super Bowl in February.
Swift was not at the Falcons game despite Kansas City making a clever reference to her in an X-rated post before the game.
Along with a photo of Kelce arriving at the stadium, the Chiefs captioned the post: “Happiness. Fun. Magic.”
That caption was a reference to Swift’s famous speech at the VMA Awards earlier this month, in which she praised her man for the “fun” and “magic” he brings to her.
Her legion of fans loved the reference and responded to share their approval.
Swift (right) was spotted enjoying a night out with Gigi Hadid (center) in New York on Saturday.
“Whoever the admin is, I LOVE YOU,” one said.
“That title is perfect,” said another.
“I see what you did there,” added a third fan.
After Swift’s no-show became apparent, the Chiefs survived their first road test of the season on Sunday night when they beat the Falcons 22-17.
Patrick Mahomes had his third straight game with an interception to open the season, but Rashee Rice’s 110 receiving yards and a touchdown propelled his team to a 3-0 start.
The Falcons got the ball back with 2:26 left in the game, but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal in front of their home fans.
