Travis Kelce doesn’t think the Kansas City Chiefs are in their villain era ahead of Super Bowl LVIII — despite what some people might think.
“Because you guys have now been to so many Super Bowls, some fans are … starting to view you guys as villains,” Jason Kelce stated the Thursday, February 8, episode of the brothers’ “New Heights” podcast. “Do you feel that? Do you feel that you guys are kind of getting the [New England] Patriots Syndrome.”
Jason, 36, was referring to the New England Patriots winning six Super Bowls out of 11 appearances. Former quarterback Tom Brady (who played in nine Super Bowls) contributed to the team’s impressive streak from 2001 to 2019.
“There’s no question that because you guys have been so successful, people be hatin’,” Jason joked. Travis, 34, laughed, adding, “Don’t be hatin.’”
The Chiefs tight end went on to address the narrative in more detail. “I feel like I hear the cheers more than I hear the ‘eff yous,’” Travis declared. Jason responded, “Alright, that’s a good way to look at life. I think that’s the right way to do things.”
The Chiefs are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVII, which takes place in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11.
“You could tell that the Niners, in the opening ceremony, had the majority of the room,” Travis said on Thursday while recapping the days leading up to the big game. “A fanbase is one thing.”
Jason stated that “of course” the 49ers and their fans are going to view the Chiefs as villains before asking whether Travis thinks that the Chiefs are viewed as the league’s villain overall.
“I guess this year has been a little different. Kind of been a mixture of both,” Travis said. Jason pointed out that his brother’s team has “been so good for so long” that the criticism probably feels “standard.”
Jason called the Chiefs “a likable team” with a number of players — plus head coach Andy Reid — who are hard to dislike.
Travis’ year may have been “different” due to his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, which has put him and his team in an even brighter spotlight.
Swift, 34, has become a somewhat permanent feature at Chiefs games since she and Travis went public in September 2023. Swifties have also started following football more closely, declaring themselves as supporters of “Taylor’s boyfriend,” especially as the Chiefs continue their run for another Super Bowl title.
“It’s football, man. It comes with the territory, baby,” Travis said of the criticism. Jason added, “The more you win close games, people remember certain plays or things that didn’t go their way and they resent you guys for it. That’s what I think.”
Travis concluded, “The more you win, the more teams you beat, the more fanbases dislike you.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes previously addressed the villain narrative during a Super Bowl LVIII press conference on Wednesday, February 7.
“I think I just like winning. If you win a lot and that causes you to be a villain, then I’m OK with it,” he stated. “But at the end of the day, I’m going to enjoy playing the game and try to win as much as possible.”
