Travis Kelce says Taylor Swift won't impact football focus, responds to Aaron Rodgers' 'Mr. Pfizer' dig
Kelce noted that Rodgers plays for Johnson & Johnson heir Woody Johnson
Whether he likes it or not, Travis Kelce is going to be receiving attention over his burgeoning relationship with Taylor Swift for a while. He doesn't seem too worried about it affecting his football career.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end discussed the effects of his dating one of the most famous pop stars on the planet while addressing reporters Friday. He acknowledged the persistence of the paparazzi, but said that he could keep that life separate from his day job:
"We're learning with the paparazzi, just taking photos from all over the place. But at the same time it comes with it. You've got a lot of people that care about Taylor and for good reason, so [I've] just got to keep living and learning and enjoying the moments.
"At the end of of the day, I've always been pretty good about compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building. I'll just keep rolling with that."
He later added the Chiefs' facilities were something of a refuge for him:
"I think it's always been that for me. No matter what's going on in my life, good or bad, I think this is one place I can get away and just being locked in and focused and always check myself and my ego at the door and make sure that I come in with a clear mind."
Kelce previously said he believed the NFL was "overdoing it" with its coverage and promotion of Swift, like how the league reportedly asked its TV partners to show ads for Swift's concert movie for free, but he also acknowledged "everybody's having fun with it" Friday.
He also responded to a dig he received from Aaron Rodgers, another consequence of his new level of fame.
Kelce's relationship with Swift has coincided with his role in Pfizer's "Two things at once" ad campaign meant to promote the fact that people can get their COVID-19 vaccination at the same time as their annual flu shot. Rodgers, who famously misrepresented his vaccination status in 2021, called Kelce "Mr. Pfizer" on his weekly appearance on ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show," to the laughter of the eponymous host and co-host A.J. Hawk.
Kelce mostly laughed off the nickname, but he also pointedly alluded to the fact that the New York Jets, Rodgers' current employer, are owned by Woody Johnson, heir of the family behind the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company, which makes its own COVID-19 vaccination.
The full response:
"I thought it was pretty good. With this 'stache, I look like a guy named Mr. Pfizer. Who knew I would get into the vax wars with Aaron Rodgers, man. It's Mr. Pfizer versus the Johnson and Johnson family over there.
"I got [the vaccine] because of keeping myself safe, my family safe, the people in this building, so yeah, I stand by it. 1000 percent. Fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer."
Rodgers not only plays for the Jets, he aggressively pursued a trade to play for the team owned by the Johnson & Johnson heir and took a pay cut on the scale of tens of millions of dollars to aid said heir's cap sheet.
