Last month, the Kansas City Chiefs saw their hopes of a historic three-in-a-row Super Bowl win dashed, and it seems Travis Kelce is now considering hanging up his boots for good. And as the star athlete decides whether retirement could be on the horizon, a source tells heat that he and girlfriend Taylor Swift are unsure of how their future looks together – with TayTay scared she’s going to come under fire again.
When Travis, 35, and his teammates faced their NFL heartbreak earlier this year, Taylor, 35, was just one of the familiar faces in the crowd. The Eras Tour icon has often been seen cheering on her beau since the pair began dating in the summer of 2023. This time, however, she did not get the warm welcome she’s used to, with fans booing her when the camera panned to her in the stands. And with Travis now ‘seriously considering’ walking away from the sport for good, Taylor’s vote could be the deciding point when it comes to her beau’s future. However, although quality time with her man is a big plus, we’re told Taylor can’t help but worry whether NFL fans might direct their disappointment her way.
‘Travis swears Taylor isn’t pressuring him into anything, and she’ll support him either way – but it’s well known that she’s longing to settle down,’ our source says of the pop star, who was recently spotted fawning over friend Brittany Mahomes’ new baby pictures.
‘A big plus in him retiring would be getting to spend more time together, as they both miss each other terribly when he’s away training or playing matches on the other side of the country.
‘However, getting booed at the Super Bowl was a big knock to Taylor’s self-esteem, even though Travis has reassured her that it was just rival fans trying to get a rise out of her. It was upsetting for her and she does feel unfairly treated by the sports fans sometimes, so she’s understandably scared of what’s to come.’
In recent weeks, Travis addressed retirement rumours during an episode of his podcast New Heights, hosted with brother and former NFL player Jason Kelce, 37. Travis explained, ‘I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year, and right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road. I’m not making any crazy decisions. I’m going to take some time to figure it out.’
Even if his sporting career does end, it’s hardly the last time we’d hear from Travis, who’s now a household name to more than just sports fans and Swifties. Our source reveals, ‘Retiring now would give Travis the chance to pursue some of the opportunities he’s had to turn down because his game always came first. There’s a fortune to be made in NFL commentary, he’s got Hollywood producers constantly hitting him up for TV and movie cameos, and he’d love to devote more time to podcasting and other hosting gigs. Travis loved the experience of hosting Amazon Prime’s Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity? and is just getting started in that side of his career.’
While there are opportunities, there are also risks. He and Taylor are currently the showbiz world’s ‘It’ couple, estimated to be worth a joint £1.27billion. Take away his role as one of the NFL’s most beloved athletes, and we’re told Travis is concerned that he may drop into second place behind mega-star Taylor.
‘Travis was badly bruised by the Super Bowl loss and a part of him does think it could be the right time to step aside,’ reveals our source, ‘He has accomplished everything he set out to in his career, and he’d hate to be remembered as one of those guys that kept playing past his prime, but he’s a proud guy and is keen to retain his star power.
‘He firmly believes that a key reason for his and Taylor’s love story is because they can fully relate to the level of each other’s achievements. The idea of bowing out on a losing note doesn’t feel good – nor does the prospect of morphing into just “Mr Taylor Swift”.’