Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs takes a knee with his helmet off prior to an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field At Mile High on October 29, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.Photo:Michael Owens/Getty
Michael Owens/Getty
The Denver Broncos got the last laugh after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-9 on Sunday.
Chiefs quarterback and two-time MVPPatrick Mahomeswas reportedly suffering from flu-like symptoms before and during the matchup, according toThe Athletic, but still took the field with his team.
Ultimately,Russell Wilsonand the Broncos handed Swift’s new beau Kelce, 34, and his Kansas City teammates their second loss of the 2023-24 season.
Swift, 33, was noticeably absent from Sunday’s game. The Chiefs have remained undefeated in the four games that the singer has attended.
Denver’s defense helped the Broncos pull away from Kansas City during the matchup, which was the second time these two teams have met since the season’s start.
On Oct. 12, the Chiefs hosted the Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium where they defeated Denver 19-8.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball against the Denver Broncos during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 12, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.David Eulitt/Getty
David Eulitt/Getty
Wilson, 34, celebrated the win on X (formerly Twitter) Sunday evening.
The quarterback wrote, “WE Believe!!! Amazing Team Effort today,” in a post with highlights from the victory.
The Chiefs are looking to repeat their 2023 Super Bowl victory this season after defeatingJalen Hurtsand the Philadelphia Eagles in February’s NFL championship.
Amid Kelce’s budding romance with Swift, concern has grown from fans that the singer may pose a distraction for the NFL star.
Speaking to PEOPLE at MetLife Stadium before thematchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets, Donovan told PEOPLE exclusively thathis team isn’t worried about the media frenzysurrounding Kelce and Swift.
“Travis is a smart team player,” Donovan said of the Chiefs tight end. “He can handle it and has been very professional.”
Travis Kelce attends the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix’s “Quarterback”; Taylor Swift attends ‘In Conversation With… Taylor Swift’ during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.JC Olivera/Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images
JC Olivera/Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Despite the attention surrounding Swift and Kelce’s rumored romance, Donovan insisted that the NFL star is “focused on the right things and doing it the right way,” he said. “Our locker room has the maturity, leadership and respect to handle it.”
Head Coach Andy Reid, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce.Don Juan Moore/Getty, David Eulitt/Getty (2)
Don Juan Moore/Getty, David Eulitt/Getty (2)
“I knew her from Philadelphia; her dad was a big NFL fan, so I had met her when she was real young, and her dad,” Reid explained before jokingly taking credit for orchestrating the romance between Swift and Kelce. “I joked about setting Kelce up, and, you know, I’m just saying!” Reid said, laughing with the show’s host.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dallas Cowboys starMicah Parsonsshared his insight on Kelce’s improved performance since beginning his new romance.
“Travis Kelce’s my boy, the best tight end in the league for like the past three, four years, so it’s obviously not Taylor Swift,” the linebacker, 24,said on his podcastThe Edge with Micah Parsons.
“But I’m gonna tell y’all one thing. When there is a bad girl and she’s in attendance and she’s watching you, that gives you an extra boost of confidence.”
Tight end Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs.Dustin Bradford/Getty
Dustin Bradford/Getty
According to a statshared during last Sunday’s face-off against the Los Angeles Chargers — and just after Kelce, 34,scored a touchdown— the tight end has more than double the receiving yards per game (99) when the “Bad Blood” singer is watching versus when he’s “left to his own devices” (46.5).
“You know what Kelce’s doing,” Parsons said. “I know what’s going on. He was already doing it, so now it’s like ‘Yeah, I’m gonna do it more now.’ Like it’s a swagger. It’s a confidence when those things happen. Y’all know how it goes.”
source: people.com
