After enjoying nearly two years of love and support from Taylor Swift’s fan base, Travis Kelce suddenly found himself on the receiving end of online jabs from the very group that once championed him.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, who recently committed to at least one more season with the team, stirred up headlines this week, but not for anything he did on the field. A shirtless photo of Kelce after a Florida workout went viral, drawing attention not to his football comeback, but to his back hair. What followed was a surprising wave of online criticism, with several Swifties piling on in unexpected fashion.
Swifties Flip The Script
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Kelce has been open about his determination to bounce back after what he called a “disappointing” 2024 season. “I still feel like I can play it at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year,” he told reporters. “I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them.” The star tight end reportedly dropped 25 pounds this offseason, clearly taking his comeback seriously.
But on Tuesday, TMZ shared a candid moment of Kelce post-workout in Florida. As he toweled off near a car, his back hair became the focus. “Kelce…put his back fur on full display,” the outlet wrote. The image instantly circulated online, and reactions came fast, many from Swift’s own fans.
“Just saw Travis Kelce’s hairy, patchy back on insta and I’ll never be the same, Stomach dropped. Horrified. Nauseous.” one Swiftie posted on X.
Another added, “Oh HELLLLLL no!!”
A third chimed in, “I know this dude can afford laser hair removal.”
The tone shift caught many off guard, given how Swift’s fan base had largely embraced Kelce after he began dating the pop icon. The support seemed unwavering, until now.
Despite the online noise, Kelce hasn’t responded publicly to the comments. Instead, he’s remained focused on football and redemption. Whether the backlash affects his standing among Swift’s fans remains to be seen, but NFL comebacks don’t always play out on the field alone.