Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is facing some criticism after a botched play at training camp this week.
Kelce has returned to the team after contemplating retirement in the offseason and appears on track to once again play a major role in the offense. But some of the veteran tight end’s struggles last season resurfaced after a drop turned into a turnover during 11-on-11 drills at the team’s practice on Saturday, leading to criticism of Kelce.
Travis Kelce’s Drop Leads to Criticism
Video of the team’s practice showed a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes a little too far in front of Kelce, leading him to extend and get his hands on the pass before it deflected to cornerback Mansoor Delane for an interception. Though both Mahomes and Kelce took blame, many fans recalled how Kelce had difficulty with drops last season — including some that turned into interceptions.
“Travis Kelce continues to let Patrick Mahomes down. He gives away the interception here,” noted the Polymarket Football account in a post on X.
“Uh Oh: Travis Kelce misses a WIDE OPEN catch, ruining a picture-perfect pass from Patrick Mahomes,” added NFL social media personality Dov Kleiman, adding a bit of dramatic flair. “The Chiefs are in serious trouble this season.”
Some Chiefs fans expressed dismay as well, recalling how Kelce struggled at time with drops as the team’s offense sputtered in 2025.
“Oh great, Kelce still has stone hands. Yippee,” one fan shared in response to a video of the interception.
“Kelce has to stop that tip drill interception gimmick,” another wrote.
Travis Kelce’s Physique Draws Questions
Some fans had already questioned Kelce’s conditioning after he appeared to come to training camp at a higher weight than in the past. As Fox News noted, some fans thought his offseason distractions may have taken him away from his regular offseason work.
“Multiple fans commented that he seemed to enjoy himself at the wedding buffet,” the report noted. “Kelce and Swift’s wedding was nearly a month ago, when they tied the knot on July 3 at Madison Square Garden in front of about 1,000 attendees.”
But linebacker Drue Tranquill also shared some praise of Kelce’s conditioning, saying he’s shown off some good agility and athleticism.
“He looks young, looks spruce,” Tranquill said. “Looks like a guy who just got married. He’s looking good.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also said Kelce looked good while returning to the team at training camp, crediting his work on the dance floor as he joked to reporters.
“He looked pretty good. He stayed in shape,” Reid said, via The Athletic. “He did a lot of dancing at his wedding.”
Reid also put to rest any questions of how the team feels about Kelce’s return, sharing praise for the veteran for setting an example for his younger teammates.
“He works so hard, and he wants to be in there,” Reid said. “For a young guy to look at that … it’s hard for them to make an excuse to take a rep off, because he’s out there going.”
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Under Fire for Play at Training Camp