The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0, but tight end Travis Kelce hasn’t played up to his usual brilliance and is drawing criticism for spending his off-season following girlfriend Taylor Swift around on her “Eras Tour.”

The Chiefs, trying to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls, defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 22-17, Sunday night at Atlanta. Mr. Kelce caught four passes for 30 yards and no touchdowns in the game. Social media was ablaze with a picture of Mr. Kelce looking miserable on the Chiefs bench during the game, prompting critics to speculate whether he was mentally and physically prepared for the season. After three games, he has just eight catches for 69 yards and no touchdowns, stats he might normally have in one half.

Former ESPN analyst Todd McShay accused Mr. Kelce of “partying all offseason,” and questioned his work ethic. “It’s like are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape, that he’s been partying all offseason?,” Mr. McShay said on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast. “He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person probably in the entire world, that’s he’s drinking, going to the U.S. Open.”

NFL analyst Rodney Harrison suggested Mr. Kelce has too many off-the-field distractions. “You’ve got to forget about everything else and focus 100 percent on football. That’s the main responsibility,” Mr. Harrison said during Sunday night’s broadcast, adding, “He just doesn’t have the same speed. He’s a good player still, but I don’t believe he’s a great player.”

In his 12^th season, Mr. Kelce is widely considered the best tight end in pro football. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion, a four-time All-Pro and voted to nine Pro Bowls. His profile sky-rocketed last season when he started dating Ms. Swift, who regularly attended his games.

Mr. Kelce admitted he hasn’t played his best football this year, but said the criticism is overblown. Speaking on his podcast, New Heights, he said, “I’m playing winning football. It’s not trash. But it could be better.”

Donna Kelce, Travis’s mother, defended her son while attending the premier of Grotesquerie, a movie where Travis Kelce makes a cameo appearance. “You don’t realize how many times people are trying to keep you from catching the ball or trying to trip you up or hit you,” she told People magazine. “So it’s kind hard when you’ve got people that are in your face 24/7.”

Mr. Kelce had a slow start last season when he missed the season-opener because of injury and ended the regular season with 984 yards receiving his lowest since 2015. His five touchdowns also matched his career low, not counting the one game he played in 2013. He was monster in the playoffs, though, especially in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens where he caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

After defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, Mr. Kelce enjoyed the spoils of fame, becoming a corporate pitchman with a long portfolio of brand deals and commercials. He also followed Ms. Swift around on her “Eras Tour,” appearing at Amsterdam, Singapore, and on stage at Wembley Stadium at London. He and Ms. Swift also attended the U.S. Open tennis tournament along with Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and his wife Brittany.

Some on social media have suggested the reason Mr. Kelce looked so despondent on Sunday night was because Ms. Swift wasn’t at the game after attending the first two. She reportedly had dinner Saturday night with model Gigi Hadid at New York Saturday night.

When questioned about Mr. Kelce’s slow start, Mr. Mahomes said teams have focused their defenses on limiting his production. “The respect factor they have for Travis is still unreal,” Mr. Mahomes said at Kansas City. “It’s well-deserved. We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three people are going to him.”

Mr. Kelce has been targeted 12 times this season, which is second on the team to wide receiver Rashee Rice, who has 29 targets. Mr. Mahomes said the Chiefs, despite winning their first three games and leading the AFC West, need to improve their overall play to regain their championship form. They face the Chargers on Sunday at Los Angeles. “We have to execute at a higher level offensively,” he said. “If teams are going to make us drive the field we have to prove that we’re able to do that.”