Travis Kelce Sets Major Chiefs Record Without Taylor Swift in Attendance

Travis Kelce’s latest on-field performance will manage to silence his critics — at least for one week. 

After a hotly-debated slow start to the season — which saw Kelce, 34, catch only eight passes for a total of 69 yards during the Kansas City Chiefs’ first three games of the season — the superstar tight end looked much more like himself during the team’s Sunday, September 29 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Kelce caught seven passes for 89 yards, both season highs, in the 17-10 victory. The Chiefs improved their record to a perfect 4-0.

It was a milestone afternoon for Kelce, who passed legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez for most receptions in Kansas City Chiefs franchise history with a snag early in the game’s second quarter.

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In the first quarter, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed a 38-yard pass to Kelce, Kelce’s longest completion this season since a 25-yard gain during Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Kelce was targeted a season-high nine times by Mahomes, 29, which is something the two-time NFL MVP said was a focus going into the game. 

“I feel like I want to give him the ball more,” Mahomes said during a Wednesday, September 25 press conference. 

Mission accomplished. 

The righting of Kelce’s ship was done without girlfriend Taylor Swift in attendance at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

Swift, 34, skipped the Chiefs’ second road game in a row after also missing out on the team’s Sunday, September 22 trip to Atlanta to face the Falcons. 

The pop star attended the Chiefs’ first two games of the season — against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals — which both took place at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.

For a full breakdown on the historical significance of Kelce’s start, keep scrolling.

Did Travis Kelce’s Play Improve in Week 4 Against the Los Angeles Chargers?

Yes, Kelce finally showed signs of the nine-time Pro Bowl tight end that football fans have grown accustomed to seeing. 

Kelce caught seven passes for a total of 89 yards, though he’s still looking for his first touchdown on the season. 

“I mean, the whole Kelce thing in general hasn’t been a worry to me,” Mahomes told reporters after the 17-10 victory over the Chargers. “I know whatever we need, he’s going to make plays. And that’s what he did today.”

Why Has Travis Kelce’s Bad Start Been Such a Big Deal?

For one thing, this is Travis Kelce we’re talking about.

The three-time Super Bowl champion and four-time First Team All-Pro has been as dominant as they come in the NFL over the course of the past decade. 

During the first three games of Kelce’s most productive season in 2022, he amassed 184 receiving yards on 17 receptions on his way to career highs in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,338) and touchdowns (12). 

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Just last year, after missing the first game of the season against the Detroit Lions with a knee injury, Kelce nabbed 155 yards receiving in his first three starts combined. 

Through his first three games, Kelce was on track to record just over 45 receptions on the season, which would have been 22 fewer than his smallest total during his first full season in 2014. His projected season total of 391 receiving yards also would have been a career-low by a staggering margin, when he had 862 in 2014. 

Is Travis Kelce’s Dip in Play a New Thing?

Well, kinda.

Kelce did not have a receiving touchdown in the Chiefs’ final six regular season games in 2023, making it nine straight combined games that Kelce hasn’t found the end zone if you include this season.

However, Kelce later turned things on in the playoffs where he earned 355 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the Chiefs’ four postseason games. 

Kelce’s Week 2 output against the Cincinnati Bengals was alarmingly lackluster, with just one reception for a total of five yards. It marked the first time since September 2018 that Kelce did not have three or more receptions in a game. 

Is Patrick Mahomes Still Trying to Throw to Travis Kelce?

Yes and no. 

Through the first three games, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has targeted Kelce only 12 times with a 66 percent success rate. 

In comparison, Mahomes targeted Kelce an average of 7.5 times per regular season game in 2023 and an average of 8.9 times per game in 2022. 

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There are a myriad of reasons to explain why Kelce isn’t being targeted quite as much, but the simplest answer is that teams are guarding Kelce like their lives depend on it. 

“The respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal,” Mahomes, 29, said Sunday, September 22 after the Chiefs’ 22-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. “It’s well-deserved. But I mean, we’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three people are going to him.”

What Has Travis Kelce Said About His Slow Start?

For the time being, Kelce has mostly taken everything in stride. 

“I stopped caring about stats about four or five years ago,” he told brother Jason Kelce on their “New Heights” podcast September 18. “I just went out there and started to play free and play for my guys. Sure enough, I think that’s the better mentality. You think about it more play by play and what your job is on that specific play.”

Kelce continued, “For whatever reason, these past two games it hasn’t gone that way for me. That’s football, man. I’m not about to sit here and get frustrated about it. I used to get really, really pissed off and almost lose my cool a lot of the time from not having that success knowing I demand that out of myself. I just like to play the game to such a high level of accountability that it’s tough for me to deal with me being mediocre or having stats that represent that.”

Still, that team-first mentality appeared to take a minor backseat as the clock winded down against the Falcons on Sunday, when NBC’s Sunday Night Football cameras caught Kelce looking frustrated and despondent on the sidelines.

During the broadcast, veteran analyst Cris Collinsworth expressed disbelief at Kelce’s lack of production. 

“I’m just flabbergasted,” Collinsworth said in the waning moments of the first half. “I mean, one game, big deal. Two games, alright. This is the third game now where we have not seen the magic of Mahomes and Kelce. And I can’t really explain that one.”

What Has the Chiefs’ Coaching Staff Said About Travis Kelce’s Start?

Following the win against the Bengals in Week 2, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Kelce has earned the patience of eager football fans. 

“He knows who he is,” Nagy, 46, said during a press conference Thursday, September 19. “We know who he is. When you have that, it’s important to know that.”

Nagy added, “It’s just a matter of time.”

Is Taylor Swift Responsible for Travis Kelce’s Subpar Play?

No, that’s not how it works. 

Who Do the Kansas City Chiefs Play Next?

The Chiefs return home on Monday, October 7 to battle the New Orleans Saints (2-2).