When you think of nightmares, you might picture monsters lurking under the bed or ghosts in dark corners. But for NFL defenses, Travis Kelce is that spooky figure haunting their dreams. With each snap, he magically appears to snag a pass or slip past a defender, leaving chaos in his wake. The ex-Chiefs TE, Jason Dunn, recently put it best, dubbing Kelce as the “Freddie Kruger” of defenses. And if you ask those trying to stop him, they’d probably agree they can’t shake his haunting presence, either.

So what exactly makes Kelce such a nightmare? Well, the guy’s a walking mismatch. Standing at 6’5” and quick enough to outrun a cornerback, he spends every game creating fits for defensive coordinators. As Dunn pointed out, “The Defensive Coordinators done told them, The Head Coach has told them, The QB has told them, heck WE have told them several times.”

That’s a collective “good luck” to any defense trying to cover him. You can only imagine the game plans they go through, trying to figure out how to contain him. Spoiler alert: It usually doesn’t work.

The chatter around the league is all about how defenses are gearing up to stop him this season. There’s mounting pressure to find a way to keep him in check. But here’s the kicker. No one seems to realize that by circling him on the game plan like he’s some big red button, they’re only inviting more chaos. “Relaxxxxxxxx … it’s just defenses have vowed that #87 is not gonna be their Freddie Kruger of that day,” the ex-Chiefs TE noted. 

Needless to say, the hype surrounding Kelce is as real as it gets. With defenders fixated on him, it opens up opportunities for his teammates, freeing up spaces in the field. So while defenses spend countless hours obsessing over Kelce, they shouldn’t forget the other skilled players thirsting to snag a spotlight. In the meantime, Kelce continues to relish in his role as the main antagonist in the narrative of every defense’s game week, and they’re not letting him off the hook anytime soon.

The gossip game: Kelce on the field

While all this talk, Kelce has been the center of the conversation. But, there’s another layer brewing in the background. The juicy gossip that surrounds NFL players these days. It’s like every Sunday has turned into an episode of a reality TV show, with fans obsessively analyzing every move, every tweet, and every sideline interaction. Just when you think things can’t get any messier, bam! drama ensues.

Many people have an insatiable appetite for the scandalous stuff: hidden feuds, locker room tensions, and the latest player controversies. If it ain’t spicy drama, it’s not worth it. As conversations drift towards messy grievances and the politics surrounding players, we can’t forget that some want to bash players like Kelce simply for clicks and likes. The collective anxiety around the NFL has led to folks taking potshots at players without really digging into what’s actually going on.

The ex-TE was on point when he said there were “too many messy folks out here.” It’s on us to keep the narrative classy. Sports should be about the love of the game, not chasing after cheap gossip that serves no purpose but to stir drama.

While the drama and gossip swirl around Travis, focus on how he dominates the playing field with unmatched talent. So grab some popcorn and buckle up, because football season is far from over, and the nightmares are just beginning.