Travis Kelce insists that he and Taylor Swift ‘can’t listen to the outside noise’ after criticism of his focus amid their love story – but the Chiefs star admits that he ‘brought this on myself’
The tight end hit new heights of fame in 2023 after winning his second Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, hosting Saturday Night Live and taking his romance with Taylor Swift public.
The couple’s love story has dominated headlines throughout the season with the popstar attending several of his games.
But both Kelce and Swift have faced questions with some fans and analysts blaming the songstress for the dip in the Chiefs star’s output at times this season.
‘I’d be silly to say I didn’t notice it go up,’ he said when asked about his rise in fame during Friday’s press conference.
I think the Super Bowl helped that and obviously how I live my life off the field, definitely helps out,’ he added with a sly smile. ‘But I brought this on myself and I do enjoy having fun with it all and making sure my focus is right here in this building.’
The tight end admitted his new relationship with the global superstar and the high profile that comes with it does come with its challenges, especially when it comes to questions over his performance on the field,.
‘It’s just the outside noise and dealing with everyone else’s perspective of things,’ he said.
‘You hear it through the media throughout the season when I haven’t had success or things aren’t going well that perhaps we aren’t focused, but if you’re in this building, you know what’s going on. So you’ve got to compartmentalize what you’re hearing and make sure you’re staying on task and giving everybody in the building and on that team the right perception.’
But he insisted that he and the 12-time Grammy Award winner block out the noise and focus on their relationship.
‘As long as we’re happy, we can’t listen to the outside noise,’ he added.
Swift has attended several of the tight end’s games this season to great fanfare and attention with the broadcast often focusing on her in the stands.
But as the Chiefs slumped towards the end of the regular se ason, NFL fans – or the ‘Chads, Brads and dads’ as Swift called them – have been left disgruntled by the attention the songstress was getting from the league and the media.
Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless even chimed in, claiming it was time to start calling Swift a distraction to Kelce and the reigning Super Bowl champions following their defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day.
Even Patrick Mahomes Sr weighed in, revealing he hopes he is not in the same booth as Jason Kelce and Swift when he watches the Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens for a place in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
The father of the Chiefs quarterback was talking to WFAN Sports Radio’s Evan Roberts on Thursday night when he was asked if he will be joining the pair in the suite for Sunday’s huge game.
‘I hope not,’ Mahomes Snr said with a chuckle. ‘No, I don’t think so. Travis normally has his own thing and Patrick has his own deal too.
‘And I imagine if Taylor wants her own suite she’s got enough money to get whichever one she wants.’
Meanwhile, two-time Super Bowl winner hasn’t let the extra attention go to his head, claims Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
‘Travis has always been Travis,’ the signal caller told NBC. ‘It’s been cool to watch for me because he has all that attention but he’s just been himself the whole time.
‘He’s still Travis Kelce. He still will walk through the stadium and treat every single person like they’re his best friend. And he’s going to be like that in the locker room every single day. It hasn’t been any different.’
Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie met Swift for the first time at the Chiefs’ win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday and will be at Travis’s game once again this weekend.
However, her Eras Tour on the horizon, it’s not yet clear if Swift will be making the trip to Baltimore to watch her man try to punch his ticket to the Super Bowl.