Sports radio host Mike Francesa has questioned Travis Kelce’s dedication to football as he “travels around the world” with girlfriend Taylor Swift.
Kelce’s NFL future is under scrutiny following his latest subpar performance for the Kansas City Chiefs in their win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.
After Swift missed one of their games for the first time this season, the Chiefs tight end failed to make an impact on proceedings once again, recording just four receptions for 30 yards at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
NFL analysts and fans are convinced he is now heading quickly toward retirement at the age of 34, including Francesa.
During the last installment of his Mike Francesa’s PodcastThe American radio personality cast doubt on Kelce’s dedication to football amid his romance with Swift, describing his life dating the pop star as one big “photo opportunity.”
Travis Kelce’s dedication to football has been questioned amid his romance with Taylor Swift
“As an organization and as a coach, you have to wonder how committed Kelce is to the game right now,” Francesa said. “He’s got a lot going on in his life. His life has taken a radical turn.
‘You see him in commercials, you see him in photo shoots, you see him now very conscious of how he’s dressed… and where the paparazzi are and everything else.
“It changed his life. And one wonders: where does football fit in and what role does football preparation play in all this?”
He later added: ‘It’s obvious that at this stage of his career, you wonder where he is in terms of his dedication, his preparation, because his performance has dropped off dramatically. And it’s not just the Chiefs moving on from Kelce. It’s more than that.
“He’s very human. His life has changed. Now he’s travelling around the world with one of the most famous people in the world. His life is a photo opportunity.”
Television cameras caught Kelce looking particularly miserable during the Chiefs’ win over the Falcons on Sunday night in a clip that went viral.
In three games this season, he has just eight receptions for 69 yards and zero touchdowns, which is considered one of his worst starts to a season in the NFL.
Kelce’s NFL future is under scrutiny after his poor start to the season
Many have wondered if his drop in form this season is related to his girlfriend Swift.
Sports radio host Mike Francesa believes Kelce may have lost his dedication to the sport.
After his first three games in 2023, Kelce had recorded 17 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
NBC lead analyst Cris Collinsworth admitted he was “stunned” by his latest absent performance on Sunday night, having also seen him struggle in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Collinsworth said on commentary: “I’m flabbergasted. I mean, one game is no big deal. Two games, that’s fine.
“This is the third game where we haven’t seen the magic of (Patrick) Mahomes and Kelce, and I can’t really explain it.”
Rodney Harrison, another NBC analyst, blamed Kelce’s recent lackluster performance on his other commitments.
He said: ‘He’s busy. He’s got a lot going on. Think about it. He’s doing a lot of different things. Media-wise, he’s playing football, he’s got other things going on.
The 34-year-old looked miserable as his struggles continued on Sunday night.
“When you are in that situation you have to forget about everything else and concentrate 100 percent on football. That is the main responsibility.
“The guys are trying to get him. Jesse Bates did a great job on him tonight.
“He (Kelce) just doesn’t have the same speed. He’s still a good player, but I don’t think he’s a great player.”