After his exceedingly popular wedding to Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce has now turned his attention back to football. The Kansas City Chiefs star is at training camp and preparing for his 14th NFL season.
But several viral posts showing the 36-year-old tight end noticeably overweight at camp sparked concern across Chiefs Kingdom. While many fans questioned whether Kelce had arrived out of shape, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III pushed back against the criticism.
Robert Griffin III Dismisses Criticism of Travis Kelce’s Overweight Video From Training Camp
Speaking on his “Outta Pocket with RGIII” podcast, Griffin first pointed to the camera angle before insisting AI changed Kelce’s appearance.
“First of all, it’s a bad camera angle,” Griffin said. “Hey homie, Travis, come on, you know I got your back. That’s a bad camera angle. He got the jersey up here, you know, it’s kind of making the shirt kind of bubble up a little bit. That makes it look worse than it was. It was AI.”
Griffin also acknowledged that Kelce may have looked a little heavier after enjoying his wedding celebrations and settling into married life.
He argued that carrying a few extra pounds at this stage is not a problem. He believes Kelce understands exactly how to prepare his body before the regular season begins, making the criticism feel overblown.
“Travis, you know I got your back,” he added. “This guy is in, what, year 39 of his NFL career? He is taking to heart that you shouldn’t show up to training camp in peak condition. There you go.”
Although Griffin jokingly exaggerated Kelce’s years in the league, his larger point remained clear. He believes experienced veterans often build toward peak form instead of reaching it on the first day of camp.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
“He’s using training camp to get in shape. And not just get in shape, but be prepared to be the best version of himself come Week 1, all the way through the season. They’re not preparing to have just a 17-18-week season. They’re preparing to go all the way to the Super Bowl every single time they step out on the field.”
Even if he fell short of the 1,000-yard mark, Kelce put up good numbers. He finished the 2025 season with 851 receiving yards and five touchdowns, earning an 80.6 grade that ranked fifth in PFSN’s Tight End Impact Metric.
With that, he extended his remarkable streak to 12 straight seasons with at least 800 receiving yards. Those numbers suggest his impact remains strong despite the recent chatter surrounding his fitness.
Head coach Andy Reid has also shown faith in Kelce. He told reporters that Kelce may look a little bigger, but he believes the veteran returned to Arrowhead Stadium ready to compete.
“He came back in good shape,” Reid said on Wednesday. “I know everybody’s out there saying he’s got the dad body and all this stuff, but he looks the same to me that he’s always looked, and [he’s] playing like crazy.”
The Chiefs coach added that Kelce is “focused in and ready to go” for every practice snap.
