Thousands of Super Bowl fans were partying on Bourbon Street, and fancy, celebrity-filled parties were happening on Friday night with less than 48 hours to go until the Super Bowl.
However, four miles away in New Orleans, a quiet French restaurant in the mostly residential Uptown neighborhood became the center of attention. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift surprised locals when they walked into the elegant restaurant ‘Lilette,’ known as ‘the sexiest restaurant in town.’
Cameras started flashing, fans gathered to see them, and social media was buzzing with the question: are they really out two nights before the Super Bowl?
It turned out that Kelce wasn’t the only Kansas City Chiefs player to step away from preparations for a moment. He was joined by Patrick and Brittany Mahomes in a private dining room, staying away from the busy main area where Joe Montana and Jennifer Coolidge were among the guests.
Fans stood outside the restaurant as the couple ate with the Mahomes. The foursome stayed for a few hours, but as news spread on social media, Swift’s fans gathered outside to catch a glimpse of her.
Kelce and Swift left just after 10 p.m., ending a night that left some Chiefs fans worried that Kelce’s focus might be on something other than the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The decision to go out raised questions after Kelce and Swift had promised not to let outside distractions affect his preparation for the game. Last year, before the Chiefs’ win over the San Francisco 49ers, Kelce shared a strong opinion about why players shouldn’t be out and about before a big game.
Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)Speaking to his brother Jason on the New Heights podcast, Kelce said, “We’ve got one week, we do what we need to do then we can party in Vegas for the rest of our lives.”
It came just days after reports said that Swift was “worried” her presence in the city could shift attention away from Kelce and the Chiefs’ Super Bowl hopes.
A source said, “Taylor doesn’t want to be the center of attention. She just wants to support Travis and help him focus on the game. She wants Travis to enjoy his Super Bowl week experience and be at 110% for Sunday, as she is dreaming about him making Super Bowl history and winning another Super Bowl and making a three-peat.”
Kelce and the Chiefs have the chance to make history by winning three Super Bowls in a row, something no other team has done. But by going out so publicly just 48 hours before the game, Kelce raised concerns about whether his focus was where it should be if the Chiefs lose to the Eagles.
Chariah Gordon, whose fiancé is Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr., shared in November that Andy Reid, the Chiefs’ coach, imposes a strict 11 p.m. curfew on his players. It seems Kelce didn’t break any team rules, but the situation is more about public perception, as he practiced on Saturday as expected.
Should Kelce and Mahomes really be out in public so close to such an important game?
They have a chance to make NFL history, but if they lose, questions will be raised about their decision to dine out in New Orleans.
One thing we know is that Swift would not have stayed with Kelce at the Chiefs’ Marriott hotel. NFL rules prohibit partners from staying in the same room the night before a game, although they can stay in the same hotel.
Coaches and players have spent the last two weeks preparing for the Eagles by refining their game plan and practicing. The nights leading up to the game are usually spent with team-building activities, making it uncommon for players to go out so close to the game.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoying the matchKelce’s actions are in contrast to how Julian Edelman, former Patriots wide receiver, used to prepare for Super Bowls. Edelman once explained his routine by saying, “Eat. Then we have meetings, usually.
Go over the game plan, go over the whole call sheet. And then I take a little melatonin and pass out. I like to be in bed by 9 and watch some TV. Catch a flick and then end up falling asleep.”
As Chiefs fans on Bourbon Street saw their two star players out in the city, some began to worry if they had lost focus. Social media was filled with opinions about their surprise outing, with one fan calling Kelce “unfocused” and another adding, “Bad look. Kelce supposed to be locked in and watching film. I’m sure that outing could have waited.”
A third person said, “Normally the players do not go out the week before they are playing in the Super Bowl because of how seriously they take the game, or so I’m told. Even saw an old clip of that Kelce guy saying that.”
Only Kelce and Mahomes know if the night out was a distraction. However, if the Chiefs lose, their night out will give fans something to criticize them for.
