ALL FOR ONE

Chiefs Players Support Struggling Travis Kelce With Custom T-Shirts

Kelce has faced criticism for a slow start to the season amid his very public relationship with Taylor Swift—who missed her second Kansas City game of the season Sunday.

Several Kansas City Chiefs players were spotted wearing custom-made Travis Kelce T-shirts before their Sunday away game against the Los Angeles Chargers—a sign of support for their star tight end as he faces mounting criticism due to a poor start in the 2024 season.

Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice was seen warming up at SoFi Stadium wearing the custom Kelce garb, as well as several other Chiefs players. Rice told CBS Sports he provided the t-shirts for all of the Chiefs’ wide receivers—who he said regard Kelce as a leader and mentor.

It’s not the first time the Chiefs’ players used warm-up T-shirts as a sign of solidarity with their teammates. Last week, Skyy Moore, Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Mecole Hardman wore shirts honoring Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs’ star running back who injured his fibula during the Week 2 matchup against Cincinnati, the Kansas City Star reported.

Kelce is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play in the NFL, but his 2024 season has started out slow.

Going into Sunday’s game, Kelce only had 69 yards, eight receptions, and no touchdowns so far this season.

He finally seemed to turn it on during Sunday’s matchup against the Chargers, however, notching seven catches for a total of 89 yards—eclipsing his season total from the previous three games. The Chiefs ultimately won 17-10.

Rice, however, was carted off the field in the first quarter after colliding with quarterback Patrick Mahomes while trying to recover a fumble. Sources told ESPN the team fears the wide receiver tore his ACL—a potentially season-ending injury.

After three slow games to start the season, Kelce’s critics had begun to take aim at his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift and life in the spotlight over the last year, which included making a cameo alongside Swift on her Eras Tour and attending the U.S. Open wearing a Gucci bucket hat.

Former ESPN analyst Todd McShay directly called out Kelce’s lifestyle last week, calling out the 34-year-old athlete on the Ryen Russillo Podcast. “Are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape? That he’s been partying all offseason? He’s been jet setting around with his… the most famous person probably in the entire world?

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However, McShay also expressed confidence that Kelce would improve over the course of the season.

“Now is he going to work himself into shape during the season? Yeah, I’m sure he will. He’s an unbelievable competitor, he’s one of the best to ever do it.”

Meanwhile, Swift herself was nowhere to be seen in the audience on Sunday.

The pop star made appearances at the first two Kansas City home games in September, but was not in attendance for the Chiefs’ first away game in Atlanta last week.

She was not spotted in attendance in Los Angeles as the Chiefs played their second away game in two weeks on Sunday.

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Zachary FolkFreelance Reporter

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