Travis Kelce punished by brother of Taylor Swift's back-up dancer
Travis Kelce was unable to hide his frustration after JuJu Smith-Schuster made a costly error in the red zone during the Kansas City Chiefs' win over the New Orleans Saints
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce couldn't mask his annoyance when co-player JuJu Smith-Schuster's blunder led to a missed chance in the danger zone.
The Chiefs were primed to extend their lead in the 26-13 triumph over the Saints, having advanced to New Orleans' two-yard line with less than two minutes on the clock in the third quarter. However, during a second and goal play, despite a deceptive move from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a direct throw to Smith-Schuster, the connection failed when the receiver fumbled upon impact with Saints' cornerback Paulson Adebo, leading to him dropping to the ground.
In a swift turn of events, the ball was snagged mid-air by defensive tackle Khalen Saunders of the Saints and run back 37 yards before being halted by Chiefs guard Joe Thuney.
This critical error robbed the Chiefs of a scoring opportunity, breathing new life into the struggling Saints at a pivotal 16-7 point in the game. A cutaway shot from ESPN showed an aggrieved and frustrated Kelce on the sidelines right after the misplay.
Fans didn't hesitate to highlight Kelce's clear dismay online. Comments like "It's going to be a long night for Travis," flooded social media platforms, while another user chimed in saying: "Bro looks severely depressed."
One spectator remarked: "Kelce must be thinking, 'Come on, JuJu! ' Tough to watch those drops, but there's always the next play! "
Despite an early fumble, Smith-Schuster went on to atone for his error later in the game with a string of crucial catches. The 27-year-old chalked up seven receptions for a total of 130 yards, notching up his first 100-yard game since October 2022.
Meanwhile, Kelce enjoyed a standout performance capturing a season-high nine catches on 10 targets for 70 yards.
Adding a touch of humour to the interception by Saunders was the curious link between him and Kelce. The interceptor's sibling, Kameron Saunders, works as a backup dancer for Taylor Swift, Kelces partner, during her prominent Eras Tour.
Remarkably, Kelce and Kameron shared the spotlight when they appeared on stage at Wembley Stadium earlier this summer during Swifts rendition of "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart."
Sporting matching black suits and top hats, the duo even snapped a photo with the music megastar, which ESPN showcased during the broadcast of Monday's match.
In a press interaction last week, anticipating the Chiefs clash with the Saints, when Saunders was quizzed on who Kameron would be cheering for, he confidently responded: "Me, of course, he don't care about the Chiefs, he care about his brother. So yeah, I mean, that's his boss, but I'm his brother, I was here first."
"Hopefully she'll be there, but if not, he's gonna be on my side cheering. He ain't gonna be cheering for the Chiefs, even though he actually does have a key to the city in Kansas City too, but that's beyond the point. He gonna be cheering for me, cuz I'm paying for his ticket."
