Taylor Swift Not At Fault For Travis Kelce's Predicted Fate
Taylor Swift Not At Fault For Travis Kelce's Predicted Fate originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Behind every good man, there's a good woman.
And behind every declining tight end ... there is a distraction-causing pop star?
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Nah.
The Kansas City Chiefs are a dynasty most of all because they have the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes. Having one of the best-ever coaches in Andy Reid is also in play.
But having the best tight end in the sport for the better part of a decade?
That is Travis Kelce. He's a foundational reason for the Chiefs. And he's giving it one more go, it seems, before he opts for a retirement from football and a continuing romance with Taylor Swift.
Along the way? After a decade spent dominating the sport, his production is declining, too. ... and is predicted to continue to do so. ... with some Chiefs fans saying the same thing about Kelce's drop in Pro Football Focus' tight end rankings, which landed him at No. 7. ...
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You know. That "love'' has gotten in the way of football.
That it's somehow all Taylor's fault.
But the truth? It's about another human phenomenon: Aging.
'While Kelce has been the second-most-valuable tight end over the past two seasons, per PFF WAR, 2024 represented the lowest-graded season of his career (71.7),' John Kosko wrote for PFF. 'Age looks to be catching up to the future Hall of Famer, as his 91.4 PFF overall grade from 2022 appears to be a thing of the past.'
Kelce, 25, is slotted between Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson and Philadelphia Eagles veteran Dallas Goedert. Also ahead of him are George Kittle, Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Mark Andrews, and Sam LaPorta.
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Young studs are catching up. That's just the way this works.
Being ranked seventh in the league is still a plus. But the days of his all-out dominance might be over. Kelce lost over half of a yard per route run and a yard after the catch per reception (per Pro Football Focus).
That suggests that Kelce's explosiveness is diminished and that he isn't the same field stretcher from his years past.
So maybe the Chiefs no longer have the NFL's best tight end. But a lesser Kelce can still be one who moves off into retirement with Taylor ...and with another Super Bowl ring.
Related: Taylor Swift Takes Wedding Selfie With Travis Kelce In Photo Turning Heads
Related: Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Share 'Adorable Giggly' Date Night Before Chiefs Minicamp
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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