Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna, admitted that her son may be feeling overwhelmed off the field amidst the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s uncharacteristically poor start to the season

Travis Kelce’s mom has broken her silence amidst her son’s poor start to the season (
Image: Getty Images)

Travis Kelce’s mom has shared what she believes to be the root cause of her son’s uncharacteristically poor start to the NFL season.

Through the first three games, Kelce has reeled in just eight catches on 12 targets for 69 yards and zero touchdowns. In the Kansas City Chiefs’ 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the tight end caught only four passes for 30 yards.

Kelce’s no-show on the field was compounded by the absence of one of his biggest supporters in the stands. Girlfriend Taylor Swift was not amongst the sea of fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – with viewers speculating that there could be trouble brewing in paradise after the NBC broadcast captured the 34-year-old looking dejected on the Chiefs sideline.

The lacklustre offensive output is hardly what the Chiefs and their supporters have come to expect from Kelce, who’s solidified himself as one of the best tight ends in the history of the league over a decorated 11-year NFL career. Following yet another underwhelming performance, doubts about whether he can still play at a high level have now reached a fever pitch.

Amidst the wave of backlash directed towards Kelce, Donna Kelce hit back at her son’s critics – adding that his struggles may be attributed to the immense amount of pressure placed on his shoulders. “It’s tough, it really is,” she told PEOPLE at the premiere of Kelce’s FX series ‘Grotesquerie.’

“You know, I don’t think they realize the pressure that people are under, whether they’re athletes or professionals that are in front of the camera. And it’s just very difficult, there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes.

Donna Kelce clapped back at naysayers who have criticized Travis Kelce’s performance this year ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
“You don’t realize how many times people are trying to keep you from catching the ball, or trying to trip you up or hit you… so it’s kinda hard when you’ve got people that are in your face 24/7.”

While addressing Kelce’s disappointing beginning to the season, NBC analyst Rodney Harrison speculated that he may have too many commitments both on and off the field. “He’s busy. He’s got a lot on his plate,” Harrison said.

“You think about it. He’s doing a lot of different things. Media-wise, he’s playing football, he’s got other things going on. When you’re in that situation you’ve got to forget about everything else and focus 100 percent on football. That’s the main responsibility.

“Guys are making plays on him. Jesse Bates did a heck of a job on him tonight. He (Kelce) just doesn’t have the same speed. He’s a good player still but I don’t believe he’s a great, great player.”

It remains to be seen if Kelce will be able to rediscover his dominant form this season. During last week’s episode of the New Heights Podcast, the NFL star asserted that he was not letting the disappointing production affect him.

“There’s a lot of things that have to go right for anyone to get the ball,” he said on last week’s episode of the New Heights Podcast. “These past two games it hasn’t gone that way for me. That’s football, man.”