Shannon Sharpe criticizes Travis Kelce for going to World Series before Chiefs game
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce considers Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe a mentor, and the former Broncos star offered some advice on Sunday night.
Don’t take a side trip like that again.
Kelce attended Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Friday night, and was seen on the video board during the Rangers’ 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks.
Behind-the-scenes videos also showed Kelce having a good time with friends.
Sharpe said that was “bad optics” from Kelce, given the Chiefs’ 24-9 loss to the Broncos in Denver.
Speaking on his “Nightcap” podcast with Chad Johnson, Sharpe rebuked Kelce.
“If it’s in Kansas City, I got no problem with that,” Sharpe said. “But you mean to tell me you’re gonna get on a plane and go to Arlington and then you got a game on Sunday during the season? That’s a bad look.”
Johnson defended Kelce.
“Based on what Travis Kelce has been doing, based on what he’s been able to do,” Johnson said, “the consistency he’s put up, year in and year out, game by game, it’s hard to really argue the fact that him taking a mental reset to watch the World Series game is the reason why he didn’t play well.”
Kelce had a team-high six catches for 58 yards on Sunday.
Sharpe said it wasn’t Kelce’s performance that made the trip to Texas a mistake.
“It’s an awful look. It’s a terrible look. ... You do realize this is the NFL, you’ve got a game on Sunday,” Sharpe said. “You’re gonna board a plane? Every coach I’ve ever played for has always told us one thing on Friday: Make sure you get off your feet.
“I’m sure everybody that’s in the NFL has heard the exact same thing. They don’t say, ‘Hey, we understand it, we ain’t got no game on Saturday, go.’ Then if you look at it, there’s videos popping up of he was like raging, he was like out. Ocho, that’s a horrible look. I’m not saying it’s a bad look. I’m saying it’s a horrible look. And Trav’s my guy. But it’s not a good look.”
Johnson said Kelce deserved to have a mental reset because he’s a star.
“Listen, times are different now. Everybody’s different. Everybody has a different approach to the game. Everybody operates differently on the way they do things,” Johnson said.
“That’s his decision and he’s earned the right to be able to do that. He’s earned the right. ... I‘m just telling you me personally I’m not controlling or conducting what somebody does on their off time. What are you going to do for me on Sundays at one o’clock, that’s all I care about.”
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This story was originally published October 30, 2023 at 10:37 AM.
