During Sunday’s game, Travis Kelce was the center of attention, but it wasn’t just his play that had spectators enthralled — it was also his remarkably desolate attitude on the sidelines, which was accentuated by the lack of a well-known face in the stands.
The star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Michael Kelce, appeared uneasy on Sunday, September 22, 2024, during the team’s game versus the Atlanta Falcons.
During the game, which the Chiefs won 22-17, Kelce gave an atypically quiet performance. With pop sensation Taylor Swift notably absent from the stands for the first time this NFL season, fans were quick to note Kelce’s less-than-stellar form and apparent unhappiness.
Kelce, who only had four receptions for thirty yards, was seen on the sidelines appearing obviously dejected in a social media video that went viral. The 34-year-old sports star is seen in the video wiping his right eye and then staring out into space, raising the possibility that he is having trouble.
Swift’s absence was soon connected by fans to his dismal performance, and they took to social media to express their opinions. A commenter asked, “Whatever happened to him???” Another said, “His girlfriend isn’t present. He would have performed better if she had been present. However, what can I say 😂?”
Even online users observed Kelce’s dejected expression; one user said, “free travis kelce man [sic].” Some admirers believed that his lackluster performance indicated more serious emotional issues. “He seemed depressed. One admirer said, “😕,” while another simply said, “No Taylor,” implying that Swift’s absence may have had a big impact on Kelce’s performance.
The remarks became more and more conjectural as more admirers added their voices. One fan commented, “Travis Kelce looks absolutely DONE,” while another made reference to a widely shared image of actor Ben Affleck appearing worn out and holding a cigarette. “Beginning to look familiar,” the user revealed, drawing a comparison between Kelce’s expression and the famous picture of Affleck appearing depressed.
There were also rumors going around regarding Kelce and Swift; one admirer even suggested that “the relationship is ending between him and Taylor Swift.” “What happened [Travis] are you tired?” was a comment that expressed worry for the athlete. The last comment, “Taylor didn’t show up tonight, maybe they broke up and he’s heartbroken,” reflected similar feelings about their relationship.
Swift chose to stay behind, skipping the Kansas City Chiefs’ season-opening road game against the Atlanta Falcons, according to sources. This was the first game of the season that she skipped; normally, she arrives around an hour before kickoff. Fans speculated about her absence as the game started at 8:20 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Fans might have been taken aback by Swift’s decision to skip the game because her weekend plans were very different. On Saturday night, September 21, the singer was seen out and about in New York City with her close pal Gigi Hadid. Swift was pictured rocking a stylish, autumnal ensemble that turned heads.
The 34-year-old Grammy winner exhibited her typical fashion-forward yet carefree attitude in an effortlessly stunning plaid miniskirt and cropped black sweater.
Her wide brown belt, which tightened the skirt at the waist, finished the appearance, and her little brown leather handbag was the ideal accessory. The “Love Story” singer wore her wavy blonde hair down in delicate curls, and her bright red lipstick brought a burst of color to her otherwise understated makeup.
Hadid wore a more modest outfit as she strolled beside Swift. Her outfit consisted of a long brown trench coat placed over a white shirt, with a yellow handbag as an accessory. Swift’s preppy, bright attire contrasted beautifully with Hadid’s more subdued ensemble, making the two of them a stylish match as they walked through the streets of New York.
Remarkably, Travis Kelce was the one who skipped Taylor Swift’s entourage at the 2024 VMAs a few days prior, leading to a similar amount of conjecture on their romance.
Swift’s boyfriend was absent from this year’s VMAs for a particular reason, which was made public by a media outlet prior to the musical event. Even though Swift mentioned him during the awards show and clarified the reason for his absence, some internet users believe there is more to the tale.
According to a Page Six piece, Kelce’s job commitments prevented him from attending the VMAs at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The music event, which was set to be a very huge night for Swift, took place on Wednesday evening, September 11.
An insider said to Page Six in an exclusive interview that the Kansas City tight end was unable to attend because “[Travis] had to be back in Kansas City by Tuesday for practice.”
The Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals game scheduled for September 15 was mentioned by the source. The football teams were set to face off against each other in the Week 2 game at 4:25 p.m. ET.
This comes after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-20 in their Week 1 game.
Some internet users, who didn’t seem to be convinced by Page Six’s assertions, resorted to social media sites to state their opinions about Kelce’s true motivations for skipping the VMAs.
“I think he’s not at Taylor’s award [show] because he’s not interested in her,” a commenter suggested. His career is what interests him more. Another person added a humorous comment, saying, “He obviously doesn’t have time to have a matching dress made.”
Some appear to believe that Swift, the most nominated artist this year, and Kelce are about to call it quits based on Kelce’s apparent absence. “Alright now. One observer wrote, “Great loss beginning of the end…,” while another remarked, “The breakup we all heard was coming.”
Despite the opinions of some on the direction of the Hollywood pair’s relationship, neither Swift nor Kelce have discussed the possibility of an imminent breakup.
In fact, the “I Knew You Were Trouble” singer gave her partner a special shoutout during her winning speech at the VMAs—far from hinting that a breakup was imminent.
Swift talked about how Travis Kelce encouraged her as they were filming the music video for “Fortnight,” following her acceptance of the Video of the Year award she shared with Post Malone.
“Something that I’ll always remember is that when I would finish a take and I’d say cut […] I would always just hear like someone like cheering and like, ‘Woo,’ like from across the studio, uhm, where we were shooting it, and that one person was my boyfriend Travis,” said the actress.
The crowd went crazy when she said his name and referred to him as her boyfriend. “Everything this man touches becomes joyful, enjoyable, and magical. So I want thank him for adding that to our shoot because I’ll always remember that,” added Swift.
Swift’s victory speech had a totally different response online than it did from the enthusiastic applause she received from the VMA crowd. Some online users appear to believe that the incident was part of a covert plan.
“She had to mention [Kelce], it’s part of the ‘arrangement,’” an Instagram user said. In a similar vein, another said, “‘[I’ll] always remember it.’ Their agreement is about to expire. 💀.”
Another onlooker remarked, “He is loving the fame. 😂,” while a third said, “I’m no longer a fan of hers! In actuality, it never was.”
Although breakup rumors have been stoked by Swift and Kelce’s absences from significant events in each other’s lives, neither has responded to the claims, leaving fans excited to see what happens next in their well-known relationship.