NFL legend Eli Manning has backed Travis Kelce’s decision to spend his bye week with Taylor Swift during her Eras tour in Buenos Aires – despite a backlash from some sections of football fans.
On Thursday, Manning, 42, told PEOPLE that bye weeks were designed to get away from football and allow players to recharge for the remainder of the season.
‘I think for him to travel, there’s nothing wrong with traveling, going somewhere,’ Manning said. ‘Hey, if he wants to go and support his girlfriend and see her play a concert, I’ve got no problem with that.’
Kelce’s romance with the 12-time Grammy-winning popstar has been America’s favorite love story since going public in September. After Swift attended both home and away games for Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end is overseas to return the support fir Swift in her record-breaking tour.
On social media, though, some fans shared their concerns and insisted the NFL superstar should be concentrating on the second half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ season as they aim for back-to-back Super Bowl wins.
Travis Kelce arrived in Buenos Aires Friday to catch the international leg of Taylor Swift’s tour
Kelce and Swift began dating in September, with Swift becoming a regular at Chiefs games
Kelce was seen arriving in Buenos Aires on Friday morning, in exclusive DailyMail.com photos, after flying out of Kansas City the night before.
Manning emphasized how bye weeks are ‘not a time to go party and celebrate,’ citing Las Vegas as an example, before revealing that he used used to spend the off week by visiting his college and seeing family.
Manning also reiterated how Kelce’s decision to see Swift in Argentina is harmless.
‘I think the bye week is a great time to get away from football and I think that’s the idea,’ said Manning. ‘It is the time to rest the body, rest the mind a little bit, recharge yourself to get ready for that second half of the season.’
All 32 teams in the NFL get a bye week every season. The Chiefs’ short break comes right after starring in the fourth NFL international game this year in Frankfurt, Germany.
Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning supports Kelce traveling for Swift’s tour in Argentina
Swift kicked off the South American leg on Thursday, but then had to cancel Friday’s show
The Chiefs took care of business in Europe, beating the Miami Dolphins, 14-21, on Sunday. With his team comfortably sitting on a 7-2 record, Kelce made a quick pit stop back in the United States before boarding a private jet to North America.
Swift kick-started the South American leg of her sold-out Eras Tour show on Thursday night, and was due to play the second of three straight shows on Friday.
Poor weather has put paid to that, though, with the pop superstar taking to social media on Friday afternoon to reveal that – due to poor weather – she has had to postpone tonight’s show at Estadio River Plate.