Travis Kelce, star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, was among the many Cleveland Guardians fans celebrating their thrilling Game 3 victory over the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series. The dramatic win came courtesy of David Fry, who once again proved his clutch abilities by hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Guardians to a 7-5 win.
Kelce, a native of Cleveland Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, was visibly elated by the victory. His reaction to the stunning game-ending moment quickly spread online, but it also sparked some debate about his loyalty to Cleveland sports, given his recent appearance at Yankee Stadium alongside Taylor Swift during Game 1 of the series. Kelce, however, wasted no time defending his lifelong allegiance to Cleveland’s teams.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Kelce passionately expressed his frustration with critics who questioned his loyalty, clarifying that he has always been a Cleveland fan through thick and thin.
“I’ve been a Cleveland sports fan my entire life… Make it back to countless amount of games over the years both Guards and Cavs just to enjoy these memories with my friends and family, WIN OR LOSE!!” Kelce wrote. “And I don’t wear Cleveland gear one time and all of a sudden I’m not a real fan?! Ask anybody that was in or around that suite on game 1 who I was cheering for, they’ll let you know I was there for the (Guardians).”
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Kelce’s post was in response to playful jabs from some fans who had seen him and Swift attending Game 1 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium, where New York won to take an early series lead.
Neither Kelce nor Swift wore team-branded gear during their outing, which led to some fans accusing Kelce of not showing enough support for his hometown team.
Baseball fans were quick to bring out receipts, including an old post from Kelce dating back to October 23, 2010, in which he appeared to express disappointment about the Yankees losing a playoff game. At the time, New York had just been eliminated by the Texas Rangers in Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS, dashing the Yankees’ hopes of a back-to-back World Series title.
The Rangers went on to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. The post has since been deleted, fueling the ongoing debate about Kelce’s team loyalty.
Adding to the mix, Kelce previously admitted on an episode of his podcast “New Heights” that he had worn his uncle’s Yankees Starter jacket when he was younger. He clarified, however, that he wasn’t a hardcore Yankees fan but simply admired Derek Jeter and was a fan of Ohio native Paul O’Neill, both Yankees legends.
Despite the playful scrutiny from fans, Kelce stands by his love for Cleveland sports, noting that he has attended countless Guardians and Cavaliers games over the years and remains a dedicated supporter, no matter the outcome.
He emphasized that he cherishes these experiences with family and friends and that one game without Cleveland gear doesn’t diminish his fandom.
As the series heads into Game 4 on Friday night, Kelce will undoubtedly continue cheering for his hometown team, whether from the stands or from afar.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET, with Cleveland looking to push the Yankees to the brink of elimination and move one step closer to a long-awaited World Series appearance.
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