Travis Kelce ‘Big Illness’ Mystery Triggers NFL Fan Reactions

The Kansas City Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX surely made Travis Kelce sick or  maybe Travis Kelce was sick regardless.

Kansas City was of course unable to complete its “three-peat” goal on Super Sunday as the Eagles dismantled the defending back-to-back champs by a stunning 40-22 score.

And Chiefs tight end Kelce, one of the greatest and most clutch players in NFL history – especially in the postseason?
He didn’t do his thing.

The 35-year-old All-Pro finished the game with four catches for 39 yards and failed to record a catch in the first half of a playoff game for the first time in his career.

“It just wasn’t our day,” Kelce lamented on his “New Heights” podcast earlier this month. “I couldn’t find a lick of momentum.”

But maybe there was another reason for Kelce’s failure … though some fans are not especially buying it.

“Listen, we’re never going to make excuses but he was battling through a pretty big illness there,” Kansas City GM Brett Veach said.

In a visit with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero while at the NFL Combine this week, the GM suggested that the 10-time Pro Bowler will choose not to retire and will return to play next season.

Said Veach: “We’re excited to have Travis back and that’s how we’re operating this offseason.”

That’s a bombshell, as the 35-year-old had been contemplating retirement and life after football alongside pop star sweetheart Taylor Swift.

But the “big illness”? Veach left some mystery to it, it seems, by not offering more specifics.

And so, as noted by Athlon, some fans are left wondering …

One woman on social media, “WHAT!!! PRETTY BIG ILLNESS??? Like what? Did he have the stomach flu or eat bad oysters? What is he talking about? Did the rest of the team have it?”

Another remarked, “The illness: age.”

And from another fan: “Oh here come the excuses.”

Veach actually dismissed the “excuse” idea, saying, “Listen, with the way the Eagles played, it wouldn’t have made a difference.”

There were no indications of a “big illness” over the course of the week, or on Friday when Kelce and Swift double-dated with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes at a swanky New Orleans restaurant. And maybe most importantly, Kelce’s name never popped up on the injury report.

So the “big illness” must’ve happened on Sunday morning, game day … and that’s all we know as the mystery unfolded.