Travis Kelce Briefly Cracked, But He Proved to Be an NFL Diamond

One of the sports world's most classic cliches is that pressure makes diamonds. And, briefly, Travis Kelce looked like he had become a cracked chunk of carbon rather than a precious gem.

As much of the world saw Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end didn't have a happy first half during Super Bowl LVIII. He was targeted only one time for a single receiving yard. His biggest highlight (or lowlight) was angrily confronting head coach Andy Reid after being sidelined during a crucial play.

At that moment, things seemed to be unraveling. K.C. couldn't move the ball, Kelce was angry and running back Isiah Pacheco was potentially in his own head after losing a fumble. Had the Chiefs lost, armchair analysts would have suggested that they lost control of themselves and couldn't recover.

But the defending champs and, perhaps most impressively, Kelce bounced back. The tight end finished the game with nine receptions and 93 yards. He didn't find the end zone, but he did stand tall as a key target as the Chiefs marched down the field to tie and eventually win the game.

In a way, that was a fitting culmination to No. 87's season. Remember, the year started with a preseason injury that ruled Kelce out of opening night. K.C. would lose that game, falling to the upstart Lions.

And when he returned to the field, things weren't automatically better. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio, product had some explosive games—he piled up 124 and 179 yards in back-to-back October contests, for example—but didn't quite seem like himself. You could excuse one quiet outing, but no one would have expected the all-world tight end to fail to break 50 receiving yards six times.

And while it's possible that Kelce was simply feeling his way through some bumps and bruises, he could have also been feeling some on-field pressure. That's not to say he was wilting under the burden of expectations, but the Chiefs front office failed to materially strengthen the club's receiving corps. That meant No. 87 was the team's top pass catcher. If you were an opposing defensive coordinator, you were going to force someone other than Kelce to be the difference maker.

But that, of course, wasn't the only scrutiny the tight end faced. His relationship with Taylor Swift instantly became a global storyline, which only ratcheted up the pressure. Under most circumstances, NFL players can fly somewhat under the radar. Even someone like Patrick Mahomes can avoid making headlines during the week. That's not the case when you're dating a global superstar. It seemed like every day brought an avalanche of new gossip.

To be fair, Kelce created some of the heat. He doesn't have to co-host a podcast during the season or employ agents who plan for him to transcend sports, but he clearly wants to be more than just a football player.

At the same time, it's tough to fault someone for whom they're dating. And as he noted during a Wall Street Journal interview, Swift's life simply happens under the microscope.

"The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she's just living, enjoying life," Kelce said. "When she acts like that I better not be the one acting all strange."

Did he act strange at any point? Those who heard him on the microphone after winning Super Bowl LVIII may say he did. But, all jokes aside, Kelce's quotes suggest that even as a professional athlete used to the spotlight, he was feeling a bit of pressure from the media attention.

But ultimately, he handled it. For all of the talk that Kelce was distracted, getting old or some combination of the two, he stepped up when the Chiefs needed him.

During the postseason, his numbers improved. He posted 335 yards and three touchdowns across three games and looked much more like his old stuff. And even more impressive, he delivered with Swift in the building, which critics suggested could have been a distraction.

Ultimately, Kelce proved that he could handle the heat, pressure and any other noun you can trot out. He dealt with injury, age, defensive focus and a level of media scrutiny, and he delivered. And when the season ended, we saw the same tight end who has grown into an elite talent over the years, hot-mic antics and all.

Will he slow down at some point? Sure. Will he continue to have a life (and media presence) outside of football? Almost definitely. Will he continue to date Taylor Swift? Only time will tell.

But no matter what the future holds, Kelce shouldn't have to face questions about his work-life balance or focus on football. Barring some brief cracks, he's undeniably one of the biggest diamonds in Chiefs Kingdom's crown.