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.

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.”

Kelce hyped his girlfriend replying, “Yeah. I just listen to Taylor’s music. She has something for everything,” causing his older brother to shrug and add, “That’s fair, that’s a good point. No matter what mood, you can find some Taylor music.”

Turning the conversation back to their recent Super Bowl match, Kelce jokingly noted, “Yeah, and how the Eagles broke my heart.” Ignoring the jab, his brother responded, “Yeah, no matter how bad I’m feeling, there’s a country guy that’s singing about it, and feeling way worse than me. And that gives me joy a lot of the time.” The siblings laughed before wrapping up the episode.

According to a team source who spoke to one publication, if Kelce decides to retire, as his team heads into its offseason, they will want to know his decision by around March 14. The deadline means the Chiefs are giving him only a month to decide his future.

A different source also revealed that the football player’s contract includes an $11.5 million roster bonus due on March 15. The contract runs through to the next season, and the NFL’s free agency period begins on March 10.

Ironically, Kelce’s girlfriend was in the stands to support him during the Super Bowl game between the Eagles and the Chiefs. She wore an outfit that had some netizens wondering if it was a signal of the next stage of her relationship with the football player.

On February 10, 2025, the NFL shared a short clip on social media showing Taylor Swift arriving at Super Bowl LIX, where the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the clip, she simply said, “Hello,” with part of her outfit visible.

Swift was accompanied by an entourage as she attended the game in New Orleans to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his Chiefs team.

When fans saw her almost all-white outfit, which comprised a jacket, a top, jean shorts, and knee-high boots, they began speculating about its significance.

One Instagram user called it “wedding white;) ❤️❤️❤️.” In a separate post by another outlet, a netizen also saw wedding bells and asked, “Is she expecting a proposal after the win?”

Sharing a similar thought, another person commented, “Ready for the proposal afterwards… [sic]”

One person even asked if her look signaled an “Engagement!? 👀” while someone else, convinced there was more to Swift’s outfit, noted, “Poropsal [sic] outfit on fleek. 👍”

Sharing the same sentiments, another Instagram user said the singer was “Getting ready for the proposal.”

The guesses kept coming, with one person sharing the bride emoji, “👰🏼.” A Facebook user, who included a wedding ring emoji in their post, stated, “White wedding proposal suit,” while someone else joked, “Mother teasing us in white.”

After dating Kelce for a little over a year, it seems some football fans expected a proposal, but none came. Last week, during the Super Bowl’s opening night, the Chiefs’ tight end tackled various questions about his relationship with Swift.

When asked whether he would propose to his girlfriend at Super Bowl LIX, his response left fans with mixed opinions. One reporter asked, “Are the rumors true? Are you proposing to Taylor at the half? At halftime?”

The football player was evasive, responding, “Wouldn’t you like to know.” He was later asked twice in a row whether he planned to give the singer a ring. Amused by the incessant questioning, he told reporters, “Man, back to back, you guys are crazy.”

Kelce never gave a direct response, prompting differing opinions from fans. One bluntly stated, “He’s not interested in marrying her or else he would’ve proposed by now.”

Echoing that sentiment, another person who believed marriage simply wasn’t in the cards for the couple said, “That’s a big no.” Someone else added, “She’s not gonna marry him. He knows it, that’s why he shifts away from it.”

However, others questioned whether a proposal at such a major event was even desirable. One netizen commented, “No girl would want that.” Agreeing, another wrote, “Hopefully not during the Super Bowl. That should be private.”

Still, one fan who hoped for an engagement remarked, “Well it would be about time….this relationship needs a stamp! Hope it’s soon.” However, others felt there was no rush, as one fan insisted, “Leave them alone…no rush… they seem happy just the way they are.”

A few people also defended Kelce for avoiding the topic. One person remarked, “Dude that is private information I don’t blame him for dodging the questions. [sic]”

The football player was more forthcoming when responding to other questions about his relationship with the pop musician. When asked about the preparations ahead of the Super Bowl game, he acknowledged how challenging it was to be away from his girlfriend during the playoff season.

The athlete admitted that, although he couldn’t support her during that time, he believed their time apart played a role in strengthening their bond. Travis Kelce also noted that they value the tangible aspects of their relationship and said their connection is undeniable.