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NFL analyst Todd McShay tore into Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce‘s slow start to the 2024 season during a recent interview.
Despite the Chiefs’ 3-0 start to the NFL season, Kelce’s production has left pundits (and fantasy football players) wondering if the 34-year-old star tight end has lost a step. Through three games, he’s tallied 8 catches, 69 yards and no scores — which would fall well below his career averages of 91 receptions, 1,133 yards and 7 touchdowns a season.
During an appearance on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast” on Monday, McShay said it was obvious that Kelce’s offseason of public appearances with Taylor Swift, including one between Week 1 and Week 2, was having a negative effect on Kelce’s on-field ability.
“Every show I watch, every pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, weekday show, every broadcast I watch for the last few weeks, it’s like are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape, that he’s been partying all offseason?” McShay mused. “He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person probably in the entire world, that’s he drinking, going to the U.S. Open?”
Teammate Patrick Mahomes has blamed NFL defenses focusing on Kelce for the lackluster numbers.
McShay was careful not to pin Swift with the blame, rather zeroing in on Kelce having less time to train because of commercial shoots, public appearance and other time-consuming events.
“It’s impossible to carry that schedule and still put in the same amount of time for football,” McShay said.
McShay ended the segment claiming that while Kelce had lost some athleticism, but history suggests he’ll play his way into shape.
“He’s an unbelievable competitor, he’s one of the best to ever do it and he still finds a way to make a play or two here and there and shows up in some clutch moments, but he’s not the same guy right now,” McShay said.
Ahead of the public launch of his relationship with Swift, Kelce similarly struggled to start the 2023 season before gaining steam and playing well in the playoffs, ending the season with 9 catches for 93 yards in Kansas City’s win in Super Bowl LVIII.
McShay, who was primarily an NFL draft analyst at ESPN, was among a number of high-profile on-air talent laid off at the network in June 2023. He is reportedly nearing a deal to join Russillo at The Ringer.
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