When the Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III takes on Travis Kelce and the Chiefs this weekend, he might use some Taylor Swift-related taunts. Additionally, Bates disclosed on “The Pacman Jones Show,” which featured former defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones, that he might bring up the pop artist while protecting Kelce in Sunday night’s game between Atlanta and Kansas City.
‘I don’t listen to much Taylor Swift, but obviously you got to have respect for what she’s done in her career. And then with Travis [Kelce], you got to have some type of respect with him,’ he said. ‘But once that clock ticks and we’re in between those lines. I see red sometimes and might say some crazy stuff to him, it may involve Taylor, in may not. It’s just part of the game, talking your little smack.’
The trash talk may not be particularly effective because Bates is essentially giving the game away, especially since Kelce has most likely heard it all already. With just four receptions for 39 yards in two games this year, even though the Chiefs have won both, Kelce’s 2024 campaign has been slow going.
Following the 34-year-old’s lone reception for five yards during the Chiefs’ most recent victory, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith offered some criticism of Kelce. ‘I love my brother from another mother, Travis Kelce. [But] we saw more Taylor Swift than we saw Travis Kelce yesterday on a Sunday afternoon, and any other time that’s applicable. That ain’t supposed to happen yesterday, he said on ESPN’s First Take.
‘We supposed to see more Travis Kelce yesterday than we saw her. That’s not happening. You got to get it going, bro. You got 39 receiving yards in the first two games. ‘Come on now, it’s time. Football season is here. Honeymoon’s over. Let’s handle our business.’ Nevertheless, Kelce said the mediocre stats haven’t frustrated him, but he’s aware of his slow start.
“I used to get really, really pissed off and almost lose my cool a lot of the time from not having that success knowing that I demand that out of myself and I just like to play the game to such a high level of accountability that it’s just tough for me to deal with being mediocre or having stats that represent that,” Kelce said on his and brother Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast Wednesday.
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