Ex-ESPN analyst Todd McShay blames ‘jet-setting’ offseason for Travis Kelce’s slow start

NFL expert Todd McShay tore into Kansas City Chiefs prima Travis Kelce‘s dilatory commencement to the 2024 play during a caller interview.

Despite the Chiefs’ 3-0 commencement to the NFL season, Kelce’s accumulation has near pundits (and phantasy shot players) wondering if the 34-year-old prima choky extremity has mislaid a step. Through 3 games, he’s tallied 8 catches, 69 yards and nary scores — which would autumn good beneath his vocation averages of 91 receptions, 1,133 yards and 7 touchdowns a season.

During an quality connected “The Ryen Russillo Podcast” connected Monday, McShay said it was evident that Kelce’s offseason of nationalist appearances with Taylor Swift, including 1 betwixt Week 1 and Week 2, was having a antagonistic effect connected Kelce’s on-field ability.

“Every amusement I watch, each pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, weekday show, each broadcast I ticker for the past fewer weeks, it’s similar are we not allowed to accidental that he’s retired of shape, that he’s been partying each offseason?” McShay mused. “He’s been jet-setting astir with the astir celebrated idiosyncratic astir apt successful the full world, that’s helium drinking, going to the U.S. Open?”

Teammate Patrick Mahomes has blamed NFL defenses focusing connected Kelce for the lackluster numbers.

McShay was cautious not to pin Swift with the blame, alternatively zeroing successful connected Kelce having little clip to bid due to the fact that of commercialized shoots, nationalist quality and different time-consuming events.

“It’s intolerable to transportation that docket and inactive enactment successful the aforesaid magnitude of clip for football,” McShay said.

McShay ended the conception claiming that portion Kelce had mislaid immoderate athleticism, but past suggests he’ll play his mode into shape.

“He’s an unbelievable competitor, he’s 1 of the champion to ever bash it and helium inactive finds a mode to marque a play oregon 2 present and determination and shows up successful immoderate clutch moments, but he’s not the aforesaid feline close now,” McShay said.

Ahead of the public motorboat of his narration with Swift, Kelce likewise struggled to commencement the 2023 play earlier gaining steam and playing good successful the playoffs, ending the play with 9 catches for 93 yards successful Kansas City’s triumph successful Super Bowl LVIII.

McShay, who was chiefly an NFL draught expert astatine ESPN, was among a fig of high-profile on-air endowment laid disconnected astatine the web successful June 2023. He is reportedly nearing a deal to articulation Russillo astatine The Ringer.