Being one of the NFL’s best tight ends is one thing, but being part of the ‘Swifties’ universe is another entirely. For Travis Kelce, his engagement to pop-sensation Taylor Swift last August was a huge moment in his life, but it came with a microscopic lens on his every move, and not everyone likes what they see. NFL legend Cris Carter, for one, is concerned about how Kelce has been spending his off-season.

“I still think he’s trying to keep up with his wife, dude. Because he retires like it, sitting at home. And she’s not retired. She’s gone. She’s moving,” said Carter on the Fully Loaded Podcast. “So, I think it’s better for him to keep getting this last year. It’s a hard one to keep up with. And $12 million to $15 million, just in case it doesn’t work out with her. You might need that.”

Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift started in 2023. And in August 2025, the couple got engaged. Now, they are reportedly spending their time planning their grand wedding around July.

Swift is one of the most popular singers in the world, and Carter is pointing at a mismatch. Kelce is slowing down while his fiancée is running at full speed. So, Carter wants Kelce to keep playing, earn the big bucks, and have something to fall back on just in case their relationship falls apart.

However, he isn’t the only critic of this relationship. In 2024, former ESPN NFL analyst Todd McShay made several claims about Kelce allegedly not taking care of his fitness.

“Every show I watch, every pregame show, halftime show, postgame show, weekday show, every broadcast I watch for the last few weeks, it’s like, are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape?” said McShay on The Ryen Russillo Podcast. “He’s been partying all offseason. He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person, probably in the entire world. That he’s drinking, going to the US Open, he’s got cocktails in it.”

Even Carter seemed concerned about the 36-year-old tight end’s shape. Considering that, the NFL legend also shared a preview of how Kelce’s performance in the 2026 season would unfold. The Chiefs will start their offense with the Super Bowl LX MVP, Kenneth Walker III. For Kelce, this addition could potentially shake up his role in the team as Carter drops his assessment.

“I still think between 70 and 85 catches,” Carter added. “I think he’s still going to be close to a thousand yards. You want to be really effective in the red zone, especially as you get older, you get so much smarter, the body starts slowing down, but the ability to play with Patrick coming back. They got a big-time running back now. First time since he’s been there with that type of back.

But you have to be careful when you bring in a big back because he’s not the most physical tight end. So, if you’re a pass-catching tight end and the offense is trying to run a little more, I think that his role is going to be changed a little bit. So, I think that, you know, those numbers are attainable.”

Travis Kelce registered 76 receptions for 851 receiving yards in 17 regular-season games in 2025. Carter has similar expectations heading into the upcoming season. But with the inclusion of RB Kenneth Walker III, the situation could potentially change.

For starters, the Chiefs will naturally move toward a more balanced, run-heavy attack than in previous seasons, with Walker’s ability to generate explosive plays. As a result, the team will rely less on short-yardage passes to Kelce to move the chains. While Kelce’s total receptions might drop, his yards-per-catch should spike because he will be fresher and targeted in high-leverage situations.

Along with that, Walker’s physical running style might force opposing defenses to stack the box with extra defenders to prevent him from breaking long runs. When defenses commit those extra resources to the line of scrimmage, it would leave the middle of the field wide open, giving Kelce massive passing lanes and single-coverage mismatches.

So, these could be some changes in the role that Kelce might have to undergo, as warned by Carter. That said, he still expressed confidence in the Chiefs’ tight end to have a strong 2026 season.

Travis Kelce gears up for OTAs after solo preparations

While the concerns around Travis Kelce’s offseason activities with Taylor Swift loom, he hasn’t overlooked his training for the 2026 season. The Kansas City Chiefs‘ Organized Team Activities (OTAs) will go down from May 26–28 and June 1–3. But even before that, Kelce already began his preparations, as revealed by his mother, Donna.

“He always goes into his own routine with training, and it’s brutal. Then he goes to the actual training camp. He has to get ready before he goes to training camp,” said Donna in an interview with People. “It’s a long process. It’s months to get ready. That’s what he’s doing right now.”

Kelce reported to the team facility for Phase 1 conditioning on April 20, 2026, as well. So, as it stands, he is making an effort to quash the out-of-shape concerns laid out by those like Carter and McShay.

Before facing the Denver Broncos in the season opener on September 14, the Chiefs will participate in three preseason games against the Rams, Buccaneers, and Seahawks. Kelce will surely be looking to prove his critics wrong in these matchups, showing that his relationship with Swift will in no way affect his game.