Travis Kelce‘s stats may not be lighting up the scoreboard this season, with just eight catches over three games and no total yardage surpassing 100, but his Kansas City Chiefs teammate, George Karlaftis, isn’t worried. The Chiefs‘ defensive star was quick to defend Kelce, stating that the future Hall of Famer hasn’t slowed down at all.

While Karlaftis admitted he’s more familiar with analyzing the defensive side of the game, he firmly believes that Kelce remains in top form.

He dismissed any notion that Kelce‘s highly publicized offseason, which included plenty of attention around his rumored relationship with Taylor Swift, has contributed to the tight end’s slower-than-usual start. According to Karlaftis, Kelce‘s preparation and dedication remain as sharp as ever.

Karlaftis suggested that the real reason for Kelce‘s dip in production is the increased defensive pressure he’s facing this season. Teams are throwing double and even triple coverage at him, making it much harder for him to make the same impact he’s known for.

“He’s a guy that loves football,” Karlaftis told TMZ Sports. “He’s going to come and work his tail off every single day no matter what.

“Teams have to respect him. He’s the greatest tight end to ever play, you could argue. Certainly I think so.”

Mahomes defended Kelce

This sentiment is shared by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who after last Sunday’s game against Atlanta, acknowledged that opposing teams are doing everything in their power to neutralize Kelce’s influence on the field.

“Yeah, it’s crazy because the team’s still-the respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal,” Mahomes said. “It’s well-deserved, but we’re calling a lot of plays for Travis, and it’s like two or three people are going to him.

“He understands. I think that’s the great thing about him. He wants to make an impact on the game, but he wants to win at the end of the day. I’m going to try to keep doing my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he’s there, whenever he’s open.