Why Travis Kelce Didn’t Take the Field During the Chiefs Season Finale

Football fans and devoted Swifties alike were not watching the Super Bowl champion closely Travis Kelce took the field in the Kansas City Chiefs’ final game of the regular season.

Before the Chiefs game Sunday, January 5 against the Denver Broncos, the team’s game official X account posted a list of inactive players, which included Kelce and a host of Chiefs starters.

“Our idle activities for today’s game,” the Chiefs wrote, highlighting Kelce and his teammates, running back Isaiah Pachecoquarterback Patrick Mahomesback corner Trent McDuffiedefensive end George Karlaftistackle Taylor’s answerand defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Why did the Chiefs decide to sit so many starters for the final game of the regular season? The reason behind the decision is a good one – the 15-1 team has already secured home field advantage and a first-round bye in the upcoming NFL playoffs. The Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC on Christmas Day 2024, after their 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Related: Travis Kelce Will Not Play In Sunday’s Chiefs Game

UPDATE: 1/7/24, 3 pm ET – Travis Kelce will not play in Sunday’s game, the Kansas City Chiefs announced via X two hours before kickoff. “TE Travis Kelce has been ruled out for today’s game against the Chargers (Coaching Decision),” the post read. Original story: Travis Kelce revealed whether or not he plans to play (…)

In other words, it’s not worth risking the health of their starters on a game that, for the Chiefs, won’t change their playoff position.

With Mahomes not startingbackup quarterback Carson Wentz was under center at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, January 1, head coach Andy Reid he said he was “not worried” about sitting his starters.

“I’ve been through that before, so I’m not worried about all that,” Reid explained at the time. “It gives these other guys a chance to grow and you can use everybody.”

Related: Travis Kelce Reveals Why He Sat Out During Chiefs Game Against Chargers

Travis Kelce’s reason for missing the Kansas City Chiefs game last weekend is somewhat surprising. “It really had nothing to do with my health. It really had nothing to do with whether I was going to get injured or not,” Travis, 34, admitted on the Wednesday, January 10, episode of his “New Heights” podcast (…)

Reid, 66, went on to say that the “main thing is to make sure we stay sharp in all areas throughout this game and for the next few weeks.”

“We want to stay sharp mentally and physically and then it’s our responsibility to do that and how we manage the time,” he added. “I make sure I do that in practice and the guys go out, players and coaches, and work on that.”

Given that the Chiefs’ final game of the regular season was an away game and that Kelce did not play, it was no big surprise to Swifties and NFL fans that the tight end’s love, Taylor Swiftnot present.

Rest assured, the pop star is likely to attend more than a few of the team’s playoff games, especially since the road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City.