Travis Kelce has expressed fears that fans will come out swinging at him and girlfriend Taylor Swift if the Kansas City Chiefs can’t maintain their winning ways.
The Chiefs tight end, 35, and girlfriend Swift, 34, have taken the NFL world by storm over the past year with the pop superstar making blockbuster appearances at his games, including last season’s Super Bowl.
However, not everyone has been a fan of the songstress’s presence in stadiums across the league with the ‘dads, Brads and Chads’ hitting out at her high-profile appearances and the NFL’s focus on her.
And, following a whirlwind offseason that saw the loved-up couple galivanting around the world, Kelce fears the criticism may rear its ugly head the moment the undefeated Chiefs lose this season.
‘We’ve just got to keep winning,’ Kelce said on the latest episode of his New Heights podcast this week.
‘If we lose, it’s going to absolutely f***ing rain down, baby. Just got to keep winning and staying on top,’ he added, speaking to his co-host and brother Jason and guest Pat McAfee Wednesday.
Despite Kelce’s concerns, McAfee, a former-punter-turned-media-personality, insisted that the three-time Super Bowl winner’s Hollywood romance could only have a positive impact on the NFL.
‘You and Taylor’s relationship is great for the sport,’ said the ESPN analyst. ‘It’s getting introduced to so many new people.
‘You are and have been the perfect representation for our sport too. I think there’s not other person who could do what you’re doing right now and how you’re doing it. It is awesome and all of us are incredibly proud of you.’
Kelce and Swift’s relationship has already been under the microscope this season amid the tight end’s slow start.
He struggled through the first few games of the season, making just eight catches through the opening three matchups as the Chiefs chase a historic Super Bowl three-peat.
Many have pointed to his hectic off-season and life away from football with Swift as a potential reason for his on-field decline.
In addition to their action-packed summer, the A-List couple have enjoyed a busy personal life, regularly hitting the town for romantic nights out in New York City – including a double date with the singer’s BFF Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds last week.
They have also swapped the football field for other sporting venues, catching the New York Yankees in playoff action this week as well as putting on a PDA-packed display at the US Open men’s final last month.
The criticism reportedly led to Swift opting to skip the Chiefs’ game against the Chargers in Los Angeles last month, in an attempt to take the heat and the headlines off her NFL beau.
Kelce has since bounced back in style, hauling in 16 catches for 159 yards in his last two games to help the Chiefs go 5-0 head of their bye week over the weekend.
There were similar cynical suggestions that Swift was a ‘distraction’ during the Super Bowl Champions’ festive slump last season.
After the Las Vegas Raiders stole Christmas last year, handing the Chiefs a shock loss and delaying them from locking up a playoff berth, analyst Skip Bayless suggested Kansas City had Swift to blame.
‘Feels like it’s about time to call Taylor Swift a distraction,’ he posted to Twitter. ‘What do you think, Patrick? Andy? How about you, Travis?’
Clay Travis also took to Twitter on Christmas Day, after the Chiefs loss, and wrote: ‘The Chiefs are not a good football team and Travis Kelce looks like he should retire.
‘He’s been worthless the last seven or eight weeks. The double worthless Pfizer shots may have caught up with him. Either that or Taylor Swift is the Chiefs Yoko Ono. Maybe both.’
But Kelce, head coach Andy Reid and his Chiefs teammates all brushed off the claims, ultimately hoisting the Lombardi trophy in Las Vegas in February.
