Tight end Travis Kelce isn’t worrying about his sluggish start in the 2024 NFL season after putting up another subpar effort in the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas Chiefs’ 22-17 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. The Chiefs finished 3-0 overall. Following Sunday’s victory, starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes acknowledged that the Chiefs still needed to improve. Kelce dispelled rumors this week that Mahomes was narrowing his options in the team’s offensive strategy, and a source said Travis isn’t sidelined.
“He isn’t hurt, tired, or out of shape,” Russini wrote. “A Chiefs source assured me over text: “It’s such a long season, he will be there when it matters most. He started the same way last season.” If you are wondering what type of training camp Kelce had, he didn’t miss a single Chiefs workout this summer, mandatory or voluntary.”
Throughout the 2023 NFL season, Kelce’s romance with pop singer Taylor Swift dominated headlines, but the three-time Super Bowl champion tight end was excelling on the field. But some have questioned his dedication to football this season.
Kelce, 34, became the highest-paid tight end in the NFL when the Chiefs inked him to a massive two-year, $34.25 million contract extension in April.
“Before signing the contract last spring, Kelce told Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Watch: He thinks he has at least two more good years left,” Russini reported.
NFL defensive coordinators are aware that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a variety of choices when it comes to game planning for the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, aside from their standout tight end, Travis Kelce. This early in the season, one unnamed defensive coordinator suggested that might be the case. Nevertheless, as opposing teams become acquainted with the Chiefs’ offensive style, Mahomes will turn to Kelce as his primary weapon when all others falter.
“When Mahomes goes off script, you can guarantee he’ll be finding Kelce when it turns into backyard ball,” a defensive coordinator scheduled to face Kansas City later this season shared. “His new weapons are still untapped, still a bit unknown, but make no mistake: Kelce is in the discussion on every situation. He’ll come to life when players/coaches think he’s slowing down.”
Next Monday Night Football, the Chiefs will try to defeat Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints 4-0.
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