Christian Okoye, a renowned figure in the Kansas City Chiefs, firmly dismisses any notion of Taylor Swift's involvement in Travis Kelce's underwhelming performance.
In an interview published on Sunday, TMZ Sports spoke with a former Chiefs running back who had played for the team from 1987 to 1992.
Don't Blame Taylor
The player shared that Taylor Swift was not present on the field.
He added, "Travis is playing like he always plays, and teams are doubling up on him now, knowing that our receivers are dropping the balls. So when you double up on him and [Patrick Mahomes] can't get the ball to him, it's a problem."
Regarding pass-catching prowess, Okoye, 62, acknowledged that Kelce, aged 34, had an impressive start to the season.
As reported by official NFL statistics, the skilled football tight end managed to haul in 54 passes in the opening seven games, with an additional 36 receptions in the subsequent seven games.
Notably, Travis' touchdown drought dates back to the Chiefs' clash against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 20.
Contrary to popular belief, Okoye firmly defended Travis' actions, stating that he was not in the wrong. "It's important to acknowledge that our existing receivers could improve their performance by putting in some extra effort to create opportunities for themselves," Okoye explained.
Amid discussions and comparisons about Taylor and Yoko Ono, Okoye explained, "When you're doing bad, people have to find excuses and point fingers, especially those who don't like the situation about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce," the legendary athlete noted.
"Those people are pointing fingers and making it up right now. I have to tell you, they're wrong."
No Impact
Despite recent losses, according to an analysis by USA Today, Kansas City Chiefs fans have observed that Taylor Swift's presence at games has had no negative impact on the performance of star player Travis Kelce.
In two of the three games that Taylor attended, Travis' performance in yards gained was above average. This suggests that any correlation between Taylor's attendance and the team's recent struggles may simply be coincidental.
Additionally, during her attendance at the Chiefs' games, the offense consistently excelled in passing and rushing yards in most matches.
The Grammy award-winning singer has witnessed the Chiefs triumphant in five out of eight games she has personally observed. Interestingly, in October, Jason Kelce, brother of Travis and a player for the Philadelphia Eagles, made a noteworthy comment regarding Travis' performance.
He pointed out that whenever the "Cruel Summer" songstress was present in the stands, Travis' statistics soared to new heights.
"When T. Swift is at the game, you're averaging 99 yards. And when you're left with only your friends and remaining family there, you are at 46.5 yards a game," Jason said on the "New Heights" podcast.