Travis Kelce 'has lost a step' claims ex-Philadelphia Eagles man... but says the NFL should still fear him

Daily Mail​

17 hours ago

Travis Kelce has 'lost a step' according to a former Eagles linebacker - who still believes the NFL should fear him in his 13th season.
Last year, the 35-year-old had the worst statistical season since his rookie year (in which he played one game), and he was anonymous in the Chiefs' Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.
Nonetheless, former Eagles player and Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho believes it's too soon to write off the Future Hall of Famer.
'I fear him for one more year,' Acho said on The Facility.
'If I'm an opponent of the Chiefs, I need to confirm that Travis Kelce has lost a step... I saw it on tape last year - Travis Kelce struggled more than ever beating man coverage.
'So, I think he's lost a step. But give me one more year to truly confirm Travis Kelce is no longer still the great Travis Kelce.'
Kelce, by all accounts, certainly seems determined to return with a vengeance after Kansas City's 40-22 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler previously reported that the tight end had lost a whopping 25 pounds this offseason, while his quarterback and good friend Patrick Mahomes gushed about his approach during OTAs.
'If it's the last ride, you would never know,' Mahomes said.
'I mean, the way he's talking about football, the way he's talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year.
'He doesn't seem like a guy that, it's his last ride, like he's tired of the job. He's in here, he's working and I know his body feels good, I think it feels better than even last year before going into last season.'
Following the loss to Philly, Kelce took his time to decide whether or not to return for another NFL season.
He ultimately decided against retiring as he spoke of his desire to perform better throughout the season.
'I don't think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I've been in years past,' he said on his New Heights podcast.
'I want to give it a good run. I've got a bad taste in my mouth on how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was for the people around me. I love so many people in Kansas City, both in that facility and the community and it's home for me now.
'I don't want to leave that life yet. I put in a lot of hard work and focus into being the best I can be for Kansas City and last year it didn't end well for us. I feel there's a responsibility in me to play out the contract I initially signed to give the organization everything that I've got and that's what I'm going to do man.'
Kelce signed a two-year, $34.25million contract - with $17m guaranteed - back in April 2024.
After reporting to OTAs last month, he skipped voluntary team workouts as he was seen spending some time in Florida.