Why So Many People Can't Stand Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce has been popular since 2015 when he was selected to play in the NFL's Pro Bowl, and he's continued to awe football fans with his speed and agility. It didn't hurt that he buddied up with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is also a fan-favorite amongst sports lovers. The tight end's star rose even higher when Kelce proved to be an OG Swiftie at heart and confidently gave a shout-out to Taylor Swift on his podcast, which led to him dating the pop star in 2023.

Unfortunately, being in the public eye means Kelce is scrutinized, and not all of his actions have made fans happy. He is usually affable and is known for his hilarious touchdown dances, but like Swift's media moments she can't erase, the same can be said for the NFL player, and there are plenty of people who can't stand Kelce. 

When asked for insight on how Kelce should handle criticism, Amy Prenner, a communications expert and founder of The Prenner Group, exclusively told Nicki Swift, "Sometimes, it's better to avoid engaging in potentially negative stories, especially if they seem based on a predetermined angle." However, Kelce has often responded to such stories.

Travis Kelce seems like a complete gentleman around Taylor Swift, but he wasn't always so noble. In a 2024 Reddit thread, a poster unearthed old tweets from Kelce, including one that read, "As a man, You have something wrong with you if your [sic] going for girls that weigh more then [sic] you!!" Another stated, "Haha I just caught myself judging every person that walked past me, whether they were ugly, fat, funny looking, sexy haha I'm trippin." Kelce also tweeted, "Damn the clippers girls gotta be the s****y girls that don't make the lakers team, cuz they all was ugly."

Although the tweets are now deleted, along with Kelce's lousy grammar, they have been preserved on the internet for all eternity. After they resurfaced, "The View" co-host Joy Behar slammed the NFL player on an episode of the talk show (via the New York Post). "He's illiterate is more to the point," she said, adding, "I'm a Swiftie and I love her because she's getting young people out to vote, so I don't want her to be stuck with this idiot."

As for Kelce, he laughed off his old tweets in an episode of "New Heights" and admitted that he wanted to delete the ones from his college days once he got drafted into the NFL. "I was just using Twitter as, like, a diary," he said in his defense.

Super Bowl 2024 was a big one and not just because fans thought Taylor Swift was going to ruin the Big Game. This was Travis Kelce's chance to show the world, and his girlfriend, that he could bring home his third ring. Unfortunately, things got tense on the field, and in a heated moment, Kelce was seen having a shocking meltdown on his coach Andy Reid. At one point, he even made Reid lose his footing by pushing him. 

In a post-game interview with CBS, Reid just laughed off the incident and said, "He keeps me young." However, fans were not so quick to forgive Kelce, and one wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "I really thought it was disrespectful and wrong. Kelce — hyped or not — set a very bad example." Another tweeted, "Run, Taylor, run. If he'll scream & nearly knock down a 65 year old man he'll do it to you too. Passionate? BS! I'm passionate about a big guy not yelling and bumping an older man!! Who's his coach!! I hope he gets a big fine & is suspended for at least 1/4 of next season."

A few days later, Kelce expressed his regret over bumping Reid and stated on his "New Heights" podcast, "Sometimes those emotions get away from me, and that's been the battle of my career." He later added, "It's definitely unacceptable, and I immediately wished I took it back. Coach Reid actually came right up to me after that and didn't even have harsh words for me."

Celebrity endorsements are not a new thing — after all, famous faces get paid the big bucks to promote a brand. However, after Travis Kelce appeared in a Pfizer ad for the COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot, many anti-vaxxers took jabs at the Kansas City Chiefs player. In the comments section of the commercial shared by BLUX on YouTube, one critic wrote, "This guy is sick for supporting this harmful product." Another conspiracy theorist shared, "Watch, he's going to have 'unknown' cause of death in under 4 years."

UFC fighter Colby Covington also slammed Kelce's commercial and said on the "PBD Podcast" that it would be wiser for those who are for the COVID-19 vaccine not to get it at the same time as their flu shot, which is what the ad was encouraging viewers to do. "That's irresponsible. Travis Kelce is one of the biggest pieces of s*** of all time, the fact that he's advising people to do that," he stated. Covington continued, "You know he's not doing it, he's just telling people to do it because he's getting paid off and bought for by Pfizer. It's disgusting." Given that Kelce supposedly made a fortune for his Pfizer commercial, we can bet who's having the last laugh.

In April 2023, Bud Light faced a boycott from the right wing after partnering up with a transgender internet personality named Dylan Mulvaney. Several months later, Travis Kelce promoted the brand, as shared on X, which caused a lot of anti-LGBTQ+ folks to rally against him. "Travis Kelce is the biggest sellout cuck of all time. Sells his soul to Big Pharma and now Bud Light," one commented. Another wrote, "It's crazy to think that these giant companies believe that using these so-called idols to market their products, will change the minds of Americans that have already made up their minds not to indulge in companies that do not have the best interest of the people they serve."

Years later, Kelce's commercial for the LGBTQ+-friendly company still seemed to irk conservatives. In February 2025, Fox News' Lisa Boothe tweeted, "My dislike of Travis Kelce isn't just about Taylor. He was in the Pfizer ad, a Bud Light one, and pushed his coach. He just seems like a woke, arrogant jerk." We can assume which beer Boothe won't be serving during her parties. 

According to Amy Prenner, one of Kelce's best defenses against negative attention is to avoid doing anything his fans might view as fake or insincere. It also helps to give fans some feel-good stories to talk about. "Remember media saturation doesn't always lead to backlash. Celebrities can remain successful if they stay authentic and aligned with their fans' values," the communications expert told us, adding, "In general, celebrities can regain the public's favor by stepping back for a while, focusing on their personal brand, and engaging in meaningful, positive initiatives that resonate with their fans."