As the Kansas City Chiefs kick off the 2024 season, tight end Travis Kelce is eyeing an elusive Super Bowl three-peat and, along the way, building quite the reputation. Known for his dynamic gameplay and fiery personality, Kelce is no stranger to controversy, but his latest antics have fans buzzing with talk of a so-called “Kelce Curse” after a tense encounter with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Fans now speculate that Kelce’s pregame antics may have knocked Tucker off his game for good, sparking heated debates online.

A string of tweets has surfaced, with fans saying that Tucker hasn’t been the same since his run-in with Kelce during last year’s AFC Championship. One fan remarked, “Justin Tucker has not been the same player since getting into a fight with Travis Kelce,” suggesting a pivotal moment that allegedly changed the trajectory of Tucker’s career.

Travis Kelce and Justin Tucker have had a simmering rivalry since the 2023 AFC Championship, and it doesn’t look like it’s cooling down. Ahead of the 2024 NFL season opener, Tucker, Baltimore’s star kicker, was once again spotted practicing in Kansas City’s end zone, seemingly unfazed by Chiefs players stretching around him. This mirrors last season’s run-in, where Tucker’s pregame routine turned tense with Kelce and Mahomes, both irked by Tucker’s disregard for their warmup zone.

For Tucker, it’s a routine he’s done for years. “I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, never really had a problem with anybody,” he explained after last year’s incident. But this time, Kelce wasn’t having it. On his New Heights podcast, Kelce said, “If you’re going to be a d—, I promise I can one-up you every time.” The Chiefs star felt Tucker was poking the bear, crossing an “unwritten rule” by interfering with their designated space.

Mahomes also weighed in on the altercation, saying, “He does that to get under our skin… I asked him to move his stuff, and he moved it two inches, barely out of the way.” Frustrated, Mahomes hinted that Tucker’s routine in the Chiefs’ space wasn’t new, adding, “It was in Baltimore all three times.”

This Chiefs-Ravens rivalry is sure to be one to watch, with Tucker and Kelce continuing to make headlines—and each pushing the other’s patience to the limit.

Fans suspect that the “Kelce curse” impacted Tucker

In January, footage surfaced of Kelce clashing with Tucker during warmups for the AFC Championship. When Tucker warmed up unusually close to Patrick Mahomes; Kelce, visibly irritated, kicked Tucker’s helmet and ball away from the Chiefs’ designated area.

“Justin Tucker got the yips, y’all! Ever since Kelce threw his little place holder it’s been downhill,” one fan tweeted, pointing to Tucker’s recent performance struggles. Another added, “Travis Kelce might have single-handedly ended Justin Tucker’s career.” The clips spread quickly, with fans fueling the narrative that Tucker’s form took a dive after the confrontation.

This back-and-forth only escalated when Mahomes stepped in, also frustrated with Tucker’s antics. The two exchanged tense words as Mahomes reportedly kicked Tucker’s stand out of the way multiple times. “The Justin Tucker fall off since Travis Kelce and Mahomes made him look like a b—h in the AFC Championship last year needs to be studied,” a fan posted. This supposed “curse” of Kelce’s interference only seemed to deepen when Tucker later missed several key kicks, uncharacteristic for the Ravens’ normally reliable kicker.

Despite all the social media chatter, Tucker is downplaying the incident, stating he’s simply focused on contributing to a Ravens win this season. Yet for Chiefs fans, this “Kelce Curse” has only added to the intrigue of watching their star stir up rivals—and now maybe ending careers.