What’s behind the recent quietness of Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce?
He’s become an international icon since starting his relationship with Taylor Swift, but Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has kept a low profile during the team’s training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, seemingly avoiding the spotlight.
While he hasn’t completely vanished from the public eye—recently announcing he will host a game show—he has been relatively quiet. Swift had to cancel some concerts in Austria due to terrorism threats, delaying her Eras Tour for a week, but reports indicate that Kelce has been in contact with her.
At Chiefs practices and preseason games, he appears relaxed and somewhat subdued.
Training camp at Missouri Western State University provides a secluded environment, allowing players like Kelce to focus. He is staying in a dorm—likely pushing two twin beds together to accommodate his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame.
“This is my sanctuary, baby,” Kelce said on July 27. “St. Joe. Year 12. I’ve spent almost an entire year of my life up here in the dorms. Some may see that as grueling, but I love it. There’s something about this place that gets you ready every year. I was pretty excited for camp to start.”
His podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,” hasn’t released a new episode since July 3, down from the usual four per month. He has also spoken to local media only twice since the Super Bowl.
During camp, the 34-year-old Kelce is participating in drills but is being managed carefully, which has allowed other tight ends—Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, and Irv Smith—to get more snaps. This strategy aims to keep Kelce healthy throughout the season and possibly into February again.
Last year was significant for Kelce; he started dating Swift and won another Super Bowl. Although his snap count of 775 was the lowest since 2014, he played a crucial role in the Chiefs’ offense, particularly during a rough start when only he was a reliable target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kelce led the team in receptions and receiving yards despite missing two games and dealing with a knee injury sustained at the start of the season, along with an ankle injury in Week 5. He capped off the season with an impressive playoff performance, recording 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns.
Reflecting on how he managed a high-profile offseason with Swift, Kelce said, “The biggest thing was getting my body right. Last year was pretty taxing. I’ve logged more snaps than most players in the NFL over the last five or six years, and while I’m proud of that, I know it has taken a toll. It’s all about resting my body and being able to endure a 17- to 20-game season.”
Since 2018, Kelce has played more snaps (6,523) than any other skill player in the NFL, raising questions about his future. When asked about retirement, he said he couldn’t put a timeline on it.
“I’ll keep playing until the wheels come off, hopefully not anytime soon. I realize I’m closer to the end than the beginning. I just need to prepare for life after football,” he noted. “I love coming to work every day and doing this.”
The Chiefs have revamped their offense to ease the burden on Kelce, drafting receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round and signing Hollywood Brown. Rashee Rice has also emerged as one of Mahomes’ preferred targets late last season.
However, the team may face another slow start, as Brown is dealing with a sternoclavicular injury that could sideline him for several weeks, and Rice is likely to miss the beginning of the season due to a suspension related to a multi-car crash in April.
Additionally, they drafted tight end Wiley out of TCU in the fourth round, further enhancing their options to support Kelce in 2024.
Despite all these changes, convincing him to take plays off during the season might be difficult.
“Wear and tear me, baby,” Kelce declared. “I’m ready for it. I love being accountable for everyone in this building and the Chiefs Kingdom. I enjoy the responsibility of being counted on to make plays for my team.
“I don’t think that putting more miles on me last year made me any less of a player.”
This is why Kelce seems to be having a relatively low-key training camp; he is focused on winning another Super Bowl. The Chiefs have a legitimate chance to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to achieve a three-peat, and for that to happen, Kelce will need to continue being a key player.
