The Kansas City Chiefs are a living dynasty in the NFL, and Travis Kelce is a key part of it alongside Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. However, the veteran tight end has faced criticism since his off-field life began to attract attention.
The negative comments intensified with Kelce’s slow start to the 2024 NFL season. In fact, many even questioned the player’s commitment to the Chiefs as he pursued new projects outside of football.
However, the 35-year-old made it clear in an interview with The Associated Press that his passion for the game remains untouched, just like his desire to continue succeeding with Reid and Mahomes on the Chiefs.
“I still love coming in to work, getting after it, and chasing championships,” Kelce said. “That’s what I’ve always dreamt of doing. But in the offseason, I do like to dabble around.”
Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift contributed to his off-field notoriety, but the tight end has also embraced the spotlight by landing acting roles. Regardless, the player let everyone know that his mindset in the NFL is still the same.
Kelce facing challenges in 2024 season with Chiefs
Kelce headed into the bye week following his two best performances of the year after a weak start to the campaign. Before the wins against the Los Angeles Chargers and the New Orleans Saints, one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Chiefs‘ was Kelce’s low stats.
The tight end still has zero touchdowns in the 2024 NFL season, but his last two games showed an increased role after weeks of limited touches. In Week 4, Kelce recorded a season-high 89 yards on seven receptions.
The following week, the three-time Super Bowl champ caught nine passes from Mahomes for 70 yards. Kelce even gave plenty to talk about with a surprising lateral pass to Samaje Perine, which allowed the Chiefs to gain more than 20 yards in a third and long situation.
Overall, Kelce trails only Rashee Rice (288) among Chiefs pass catchers in receiving yards with 228. However, the tight end leads the team in targets (31) and receptions (24). Rice led these stats before Patrick Mahomes injured him with an accidental tackle, though.