Travis Kelce sported a noticeably different look when he reported to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month. Instead of his usual shaved head and bushy beard, the 34-year-old tight end is sporting longer hair and a closer shave with a mustache. And according to teammate Patrick Mahomes, he has his girlfriend of one year, Taylor Swift, to thank for it.
Mahomes made the comment Tuesday during SiriusXM Town Hall with the Chiefs, hosted by sports anchor Bruce Murray and former NFL quarterback Alex Smith. When the subject of “old man” came up — as Mahomes has often joked about Kelce being one of the team's older players — Smith noted: “He was really grumpy there this morning, mustache, grumpy, the last one there.”
“I was trying to get her to grow her hair out and all of a sudden Taylor convinced her to do it. I was just like…” the 28-year-old joked with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
But maybe it wasn't all Swift's doing. Kelce's fading was a topic of conversation before Super Bowl LVIII earlier this year. New York Times He published an article claiming that barbers were inundated with requests for the “Travis Kelce” cut, despite it being a staple in black barber shops for decades. The timing was particularly disastrous because it coincided with the start of Black History Month.
But when asked during the press conference whether he felt responsible for his rise in popularity, Kelce firmly put an end to the debate.
“This is absolutely ridiculous. And to do it on February 1st, to throw me to the wolves like that? That was a terrible thing, man,” he lamented. “I had nothing to do with it. I've got a good fade if you need it. A nice high to mid fade with two tapers on the top and a taper in the back, but I didn't invent that, I just wanted it.”
Kelce has actually been looking more like Ted Lasso lately, and maybe that's not a bad thing.