Will Travis Kelce Play In The Chiefs' First Preseason Game? Coach Andy Reid Speaks Out

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are set for their first preseason game, where they'll face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, August 10.

For those who aren't familiar, it's uncommon for "key" players and starters, such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, to participate in preseason games. The risk of injury during these games can potentially disrupt the regular season, making it a less common practice.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid, however, is taking a different approach regarding his starting tight-end, Travis Kelce.

Swifties and sports fans alike, get ready—Travis is set to hit the field for the Kansas City Chiefs' first preseason game on Saturday, according to Chiefs coach Andy Reid. He also plans to start Patricks.

This approach is a departure from the norm, as many NFL coaches usually rest their star players during the preseason. Reid has shared his reasoning behind this strategy. “I’m gonna play everybody,” Reid said to the media on Wednesday, August 7, per Us Weekly. “All those young guys, I’d love to see how they compete. The higher draft picks are gonna be in there [against] a little bit better competition, so I want to see how they handle that.”

However, the athletes won’t be on the field for the entire game; their playtime will be limited to just one quarter.

“I allow ’em to get into the swing of things, and the ones know how to do that,” the Chiefs head coach explained. “Both sides of the ball, they know how to go about doing that, but somewhere you’ve got to get on there and shoot, and so it gives him an opportunity to do that.”

Travis and his teammates reported to training camp in July. The tight end spent much of his off-season traveling the world with his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, whom he began dating in July 2023.

The "22" singer attended several of Travis Kelce's games last season, cheering him and the team on alongside Patrick's wife, Brittany Mahomes, Travis's mom, Donna Kelce, and other family members such as Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce.

Swift cheered the team on all the way to the Super Bowl this February, where the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22.

On Wednesday, two men were arrested in connection with a planned attack on major events in Vienna, including the highly anticipated Swift concerts. According to a previous report from The Blast, Vienna State Police Director Franz Ruf and Police Chief Gerhard Purstl disclosed that one of the suspects, a 19-year-old, had allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS.

Austrian officials later provided more information about the thwarted terror plot, revealing that the men had been involved in "specific preparatory actions for a terrorist attack" aimed at the concerts. This development led to the cancellation of Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Vienna.

An insider revealed to Page Six that while Travis is understandably worried about his girlfriend in light of the terrorist threats, he currently has no plans to travel to be with her as he has to stay in the States for preseason.

As Swift wraps up the European leg of her Eras Tour at London’s Wembley Stadium in late August, her schedule opens up for September, which coincides with the start of the NFL season, fueling speculation about a possible visit (or two) to Arrowhead Stadium.

“She’s had the time of her life performing all over the world but is looking forward to just nesting during her tour’s two-month hiatus,” a source revealed. “She can’t wait to root Travis on at Kansas City Chiefs home games and really focus on him without having one foot out the door.”

“He has done what he can to make his house feel like home to her — even upgrading the kitchen because she loves to cook for him and their friends,” the source added. “Friends say this downtime is exactly what Taylor needs and won’t be surprised if it leads up to a wedding.”