Travis Kelce is going 'all-in' to win the Super Bowl once again in what is expected to be his final season as an NFL player - and he won't let his superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift's fame get in the way.
The Kansas City Chiefs star caused a stir this week when reports surfaced saying he believes his dip in form last season - and, in particular, his team's humiliating defeat in February's Super Bowl - was due to distractions from the newfound fame he's garnered thanks to Swift.
'Taylor and Travis have learned that so much attention on their relationship is not the best thing,' a source said.
Predictably, Swift's loyal fanbase were not pleased.
'Man up and stop blaming your girlfriend,' one incensed Swiftie blasted on social media.
But now a source close to 35-year-old Kelce has spoken exclusively to the Daily Mail and doubled-down, stressing that this drive to succeed in his final season is no joke.
Reports claimed this week that Travis Kelce apportioned some of the blame for his poor NFL form last season on his high-profile relationship with popstar Taylor Swift
The 35-year-old weighed up retirement after his poor showing in their defeat at Super Bowl LIX
'Travis is going all in for this season and the only thing that could derail him would be injury. Losing the Super Bowl was a major blow, as he wants to be someone that can have it all and one who can handle having it all,' our source said.
As for Swift's place in all this, the insider added: '[She and Kelce] don't have to be the center of attention anymore and are going to often not be seen out and about as much as they have been.'
It is understood that Swift is fully on board with this plan.
'Him and Taylor are going great, his outside football ventures are amazing,' our source said. 'His on field play needs to improve, and he knows that, especially since he is on his last contracted season and is heavily leaning towards retirement after this season.
'He wants to be the reason that the Chiefs return to the Super Bowl and hopefully win it again. If this ends up being his last season, as he is gearing towards, he wants to go all in, and Taylor is all about it.'
Since going public in September 2023, it's been no secret that the pair's high-profile romance has made waves of equal proportion in both Hollywood and the sporting world - with every morsel of their cozy date nights and lavish vacations picked over by music and NFL fans alike.
And while the Swift influence caused little problem for Kelce's career in the first year of their dating - with the Chiefs triumphing in last year's Las Vegas Super Bowl - this past season has proved more difficult.
In February, after Kansas City were trounced by the Eagles in New Orleans's Super Bowl LVIII, many were quick to point to the fact the happy couple had enjoyed a pre-game dinner, just two days before kickoff, alongside Kelce's teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany.
After the Chiefs' loss, the meal - at trendy French eatery Lilette - was criticized as an unnecessary distraction.
Some of that blowback may have inspired change.
'Travis's outside ventures and relationship with Taylor took lots of his time this past season but he refuses to put blame on either her or everything else, because it was just a bad day at the office this past Super Bowl,' our source said.
'Had they won, different discussions would be happening right now about everything in his world and life.
'He is going to keep his head down, play better, train harder and not allow any unnecessary drama to ruin anything along the way.'