Travis Kelce Embraces Villain Identity Ahead of Super Bowl LIX
The quest for a three-peat remains very much alive for the Kansas City Chiefs, and the back-to-back Super Bowl winners are deemed to be the hated team to watch as they approach the game’s biggest stage for the third straight year. But for Travis Kelce, that is something that he or even the rest of the team should focus on.
At this point, it is safe to say that the Chiefs are the epitome of success in the current era of the NFL, and success definitely breeds a lot of envy and disdain from others – thus building the villain perception and identity. Kansas City has been a successful team to watch over the years, and it cannot be denied that this is showing how teams are building impressive identities in the long run.
With the Super Bowl closing in, Kelce knows that mentality is important, and that proves to be quite a considerable factor in winning games. With the Chiefs already winning the last two Super Bowls, one against their upcoming opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles, one can say that this is going to be another storied campaign finish to look out for Kansas City.
Kelce on the “Villain” Identity
Being a villain is nothing new for Travis Kelce, who has been a promising player for Kansas City over the years. He has already clinched seven seasons in a row with at least 1,000-plus receiving yards between 2016 and 2022. While he has managed to come up with a lower output in the last two years, he has been a key force in the Chiefs’ offense that has managed to win the AFC title for three years in a row.
"I love it. I love it," Kelce said of being a villain on the "New Heights" podcast. "At one point in time, it wasn't that. … I was the 'do you feel bad for 'em guys.' … I'm enjoying doing this with the guys together. The guys that we have in there because it just makes us even more of a family. You just circle the wagons. … People are saying whatever they want. You just band together and it makes you appreciate more of what you have because people want what you have."
It is easy to dislike a consistent winner in the game. The Chiefs are coming in as the nation’s hated team, and those who are tired of the Chiefs’ dominance in the game will easily be rooting for the Eagles at this point. But for Kelce and the Chiefs, this is the chance for them to make history and come up with a massive statement to silence all critics once more.
Odds for the Villains?
Despite being set as the villains for this game, the Chiefs are set as the heavy favorite to win it all now more than ever. The chase for the third straight championship can be quite pressuring for many, but the Chiefs are taking it easy, one game at a time. They have managed to do that well so far, and now that the Super Bowl is on their hands, it is time to close it out for good.
Of 11 total ESPN analysts, only two have called for the Chiefs to win, and this just shows the disparity in the odds at this point, with Philadelphia setting in as a huge underdog now more than ever.
However, it does seem that there are a lot of easy calls that would see the Chiefs win it all. They’ve proven themselves to be elite in the clutch, let alone in the playoffs, and they have already beaten the Eagles once, and doing it for the second time shouldn’t hurt much.
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