There are many people who are not ready to joke about the health status of Travis Kelce until they see him take the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs star tight end is not one of those people.
True to form, Kelce decided to have some fun at the expense of his teammates, fans, and fantasy football managers. He grabbed his knee in apparent pain for a brief second before breaking into a twerk, per Jared Koller of KCTV5 News. The two-time Super Bowl champion then jogged off without any noticeable limp.
Those type of shenanigans are synonymous with Kelce, but he risks taunting the football gods with such mockery. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid expects the All-Pro to play in Jacksonville, barring a setback, which is a relief for all those depending on Kelce for a triumphant Sunday. He missed the NFL opener versus the Detroit Lions with a knee injury.
Injured Travis Kelce? Nah, just twerking Travis Kelce. #ChiefsKingdom @KCTV5 @tkelce 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/IWJlCXfkWP
— Jared Koller (@JaredKCTV5) September 15, 2023
And boy was his absence felt. Patrick Mahomes struggled to mount worthwhile drives without the elite TE at his disposal. Multiple KC wide receivers stumbled, giving way to a big upset win for Detroit. The Jaguars are a resilient group who will look to exploit the sloppiness of their opponent. An active Travis Kelce makes that a much less attainable goal, though.
Twerking on the practice field is the very thing that will embolden his fans, while giving more fuel to his detractors. Kelce does not care one iota. He has been loud and upfront throughout his career, and he is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play his position. Do not expect the 33-year-old to tone it down now.
The same might go for his role in the Chiefs' Week 2 matchup. Despite not logging a full practice, Kelce should be very difficult to suppress.