KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Kelce felt on top of the world after winning his second Super Bowl ring, hosting Saturday Night Live and starring in a wave of new commercials.
But with this team on a three-game winning streak and a budding relationship with music star Taylor Swift, Kelce has seen his life go to a whole new level.
“I’m rolling, man,” Kelce said during his first press conference with local reporters in Kansas City since the start of the season. “We won three in a row, trying to get to four in a row. As all the attention comes, it feels like, you know, I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl, and right now even more on top of the world, so it’s fun.”
Stepping into the spotlight cast on Swift has put new attention on Kelce. Paparazzi follow most of his movements — one photographer climbed a tree at his home in order to get a shot of the tight end. But just like Superman and his Fortress of Solitude, Kelce has found a space safe from outside attention.
“It comes with it, you got a lot of people that care about Taylor, and for good reason,” Kelce said. “You know, just got to keep living and learning and enjoying the moments. At the end of the day, I’ve always been pretty good about compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building.”
The Chiefs locker room and the training complex have always been a home away from home for Kelce but it’s taken on new significance as Kelce as gone from merely being one of the top players in the NFL to an international icon in a matter of weeks.
“I think it’s always been that for me, no matter what’s going on in my life, good or bad,” Kelce said. “I think this is one place I can get away and just be locked in and focused. I always check my myself and my ego at the door and make sure that I come in with a clear mind.”
Yet despite Kelce feeling atop the world, he’s also off to one of the slowest starts in his career. His 17 catches for 155 yards is the worst four weeks of a season in his career since his rookie campaign when a knee injury limited him to just a single snap. Even discounting missing the team’s Week 1 loss against Detroit, Kelce only had fewer yards through his first three games of a season once in the last 10 years (144 yards on 14 catches in 2017).
Two days before the season opener against the Lions, Kelce hyperextended his left knee in practice. The resulting bone bruise kept him out of the season opener. He fought through the pain the following week in Jacksonville, catching four passes for 26 yards and a score.
Kelce turned 34 on Thursday, and while he feels fortunate to be doing what he loves at this age, he concedes it’s not as easy as it was a few years ago.
“There’s been things that have popped up that just make you stay on top of it,” Kelce said. “I think everybody gets to this point in their career, or if they’re fortunate enough to get to year 11 in their career. You definitely got to start to hone in on things even more and just make sure that you’re available. Make sure that you’re doing everything you can to make yourself available and that’s always been the mindset for sure.”
Kelce’s birthday also served as a time of reflection for him.
“I got a lot of shoutouts from family, friends, a lot of people reaching out yesterday,” he said. “Chiefs Kingdom always shows love and it’s just an appreciating day. As much as everybody wants to make it about me, I just see how much how much family and friends that I have around me. And you know, it’s always a beautiful thing.”
Swift attending the team’s game against the Chicago Bears in Week 3 shone a spotlight on Kelce’s suite at GEHA Field at Arrrowhead Stadium. Yet each week Kelce hosts 20 family members and friends in his suite, whether it’s mother Donna or a host of family and friends from Kansas City, Cincinnati or around the country who gather together.
“You got at least 20 people coming in to see you specifically play the game you’ve been playing since you were a kid,” Kelce said. “There’s a bit of a birthday feel to that when you get the family and friends around. I’m always reflecting on how appreciative I am of the people around me, knowing that I grew up with a with a great community, I grew up with a great group of friends that I’m still close with. And on top of that, we grabbed a lot of good ones along the way.”
On the New Heights podcast with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis agreed with his brother’s suggestion that the NFL might be overdoing it when it comes to the focus on his relationship with Swift. During NBC Sunday Night Football, the television cameras showed Swift no fewer than 17 times. The primary concern of Travis, however, is that the attention does not distract from his teammates or the job at hand.
“Everybody’s having fun with it, you know, whether I think they’re overdoing it or not,” Kelce said, “I know I brought this to myself, or I’ve been fortunate enough to have fun with it and that’s all that really matters is that it’s not pissing anybody off over here at least. So I’m having fun with it.”
Kelce also doesn’t believe the attention has affected him on the field.
“I’ve been pretty good at just compartmentalizing and making sure my focus is always about winning the game, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon,” he said.
