During a recent interview, a possible reason was given why Travis Kelce might not have been at his best during Super Bowl LIX. Nonetheless, some netizens still judged the footballer’s performance harshly.
This week, Kansas City Chiefs General Manager (GM) Brett Veach sat down for an interview where he spoke about the football team and one player in particular, Travis Kelce. The GM revealed information that could explain why the football player wasn’t in top form for Super Bowl LIX.
Travis Kelce warms up before Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana | Source: Getty Images
During the February 10, 2025, game the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22. Veach noted that his team had a great season but acknowledged that they had “picked a bad day to have a bad day” when they played and lost to the Eagles.
However, his team chose to use both their wins and losses as learning experiences. He explained that they would use the setback as motivation to improve and better prepare for the next season. When asked if Kelce would be playing next year, the GM responded, “I think so,” adding, “I think that Travis is excited to come back.”
He noted, however, that if anything changed, the National Football League (NFL) Network would be the first to break the news. Speaking highly of Kelce, Veach remarked that the athlete could elevate the performance of those around him.
The GM clarified that he wasn’t making excuses but revealed a possible reason for the football player’s underwhelming performance at the Super Bowl, stating, “He was battling with a pretty big illness.” Despite being unwell, Kelce’s GM shared that the star was staying in shape.
Netizens who watched Veach’s interview had mixed reactions to his comments about Kelce. One person complained that the athlete’s alleged illness was “…not big enough to keep him from going out the night before. Yeah, right.”
Another skeptical fan wrote, “Funny he looked fine in his double date night with paps swarming two nights before the superbowl [sic]. False narrative to justify poor play,” while another criticized, “Either a reason or an excuse because he was terrible.”
One person shared the same outlook as the others, saying, “He didn’t look ill going to the party the night before… it’s on video.” Another critic questioned, “”Pretty big illness,” [sic] yet he went out the night before and looked perfectly fine??? Didn’t know a hangover was an illness lol.”
The speculations continued, with another X user commenting, “If he had a significant illness, why were he and TS out with Mr & Mrs Mahomes for a three hour dinner in New Orleans on Saturday night before the Super Bowl? [sic]” The abbreviation “TS” was used by the user to refer to Kelce’s singer girlfriend, Taylor Swift.
Turning the focus to Kelce’s team’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, someone else exclaimed, “It looked as if Patrick had an illness too by his trees and the pasty color of his skin!”
However, another person appeared to sympathize with Kelce, remarking, “…the sick thing makes a lot of sense.” Sharing the same sentiment, an X user stated, “That def makes sense based off how I saw him play. [sic]”
During his February 26, 2025, appearance on the New Heights podcast, hosted by him and his brother, Jason, who plays for the Eagles, they discussed various topics. Their conversation included National Hockey League (NHL) players Matt and Brady Tkachuk, partying with the Super Bowl Cup, and more.
While wrapping up the show, Kelce’s brother asked him if he listened to sad or happy music when feeling depressed. Seemingly giving insight into his private life, the 35-year-old football player gave an honest answer.
He responded, “Jason, the only way you can find yourself in the light is to find yourself in the dark first. I listen to music that is very telling of my mood, yes.” His brother then revealed, “I go to, like, sad country songs.”