Travis Kelce didn’t experience much excitement on Grammy night 2024. Los Angeles isn’t known for being a particularly enjoyable place when it’s gloomy and wet due to an atmospheric river hovering above it, resembling the spaceship from Independence Day. While the weather may have dampened the party scene, spirits were undoubtedly high at the Taylor Swift after party. Kelce missed out on some traffic delays and a historic moment – his girlfriend winning her fourth Album of the Year Grammy, making her the only musician to ever achieve such a feat.
Those who wish to debate whether Swift surpassing the likes of Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder is a merit-worthy accomplishment can do so with the Beyhive and others. However, I do wish that Kelce had been present at Crypto.com Arena to witness this historic moment, especially since Tracy Chapman performed “Fast Car” live for the first time in nine years.
Kelce’s relationship with Swift appears to be flourishing, reaching a point where they openly display affection for each other. They shared a kiss on the field at M&T Bank Stadium after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens. Swift remained on the field, not only as Kelce’s significant other but also to witness the entire team receiving their fourth AFC Championship trophy in six seasons.
Reports suggest that Swift will attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, sandwiched between concerts in Japan and Australia. She has four concerts scheduled for this week. The first one begins just over 48 hours after the Grammy Awards, Tokyo time, which is 17 hours ahead of Pacific time. After her fourth show on Saturday night, she will embark on a 12-hour flight back to the United States, landing in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Pacific time. A 16-hour flight to Australia awaits her a few days later, where she will perform seven shows in 10 days. The first show is scheduled for the following Saturday in Melbourne, which is 19 hours ahead of Pacific time.
Kelce made the obvious choice to prioritize the team by flying with the Chiefs to Las Vegas on Sunday and staying there overnight. Missing the Grammys for Super Bowl week is a decision that both ends of the political spectrum can agree upon. However, there were no events or practices on Sunday. Despite the rainy weather, Kelce likely could have flown to LA and returned to Vegas without missing a single second of practice.
The remaining days of February will bring changes in the day of the week for Swift, depending on her location. She is doing this to support her boyfriend on the biggest stage of his profession. Yet, couldn’t Kelce have taken a couple of 45-minute flights to witness her significant achievement in the music industry?
Of course, he could have attended the Grammys and still made it to the team breakfast on Monday. However, the uproar and controversy surrounding his presence at the Grammys a week before the biggest sporting event of the year would have been overwhelming. Super Bowl Opening Night, formerly known as Media Day, would have revolved around the Grammys. Not only would Kelce have faced questions, but so would the rest of the team, including Andy Reid. Even Mama Kelce’s popularity wouldn’t have shielded him from the scrutiny of being seen at the Grammys.
If he had walked with Swift to her table and Trevor Noah had pointed them out during the opening monologue, it would have been the talk of every show from Good Morning America to Pardon the Interruption. Michael Wilbon’s passionate rant would have resonated across America, even without a microphone or camera.
Of course, if the Chiefs had ended up losing to the San Francisco 49ers, Kelce would have carried the shame of that outcome for the rest of his life. If he had dropped a pass or fumbled the ball during the game, teams might have even considered including contract clauses prohibiting players from dating pop stars.
As a society, we can accept a woman traveling across the world four times, potentially delivering subpar performances to fans who paid exorbitant amounts of money for her concerts. Yet, Kelce couldn’t spare a few hours to attend the Grammys in the same time zone, while enjoying a morning with Patrick Mahomes, taking a selfie with Tracy Chapman, and having some oatmeal and orange juice.
Kelce missed the most significant day in his girlfriend’s life, simply because it was expected. He believes he avoided criticism and the spotlight, but I challenge a reporter at Super Bowl Opening Night to put Kelce back in the hot seat. Someone should ask him on Monday whether Beyoncé should have already won a Grammy for Album of the Year.