Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Travis Kelce’s Career Milestone

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Patrick Mahomes has all-star support for Travis Kelce.

Even though the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos 22-19 on November 16th, Patrick Mahomes still had a reason to celebrate – he broke the team’s record for most touchdowns, a milestone Taylor Swift’s fiancé deserved to acknowledge.

Patrick praised the player’s dedication, telling reporters, ‘He truly earns everything he achieves with his daily effort.’ He added that the player is a natural leader and breaking the record really shows his character. Patrick highlighted the importance of the moment, noting that the player consistently delivers when it matters most, and this was a fantastic play at a crucial time.

Travis reached a career highlight thanks to a quick pass from Patrick in the fourth quarter, allowing him to score his 84th touchdown. This achievement moved him ahead of former running back Priest Holmes, who previously held the record.

Patrick was happy and celebrating, but Travis wasn’t willing to talk to reporters after the game because the team had lost.

He told reporters, through ESPN, that he wasn’t focused on the team’s winning streak right now, saying he didn’t care about it at all.

Taylor Swift wasn’t at Travis Kelce’s game in Denver, continuing a recent pattern of keeping a low profile at Chiefs games. Her last time in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium was October 27th, when the Chiefs played the Washington Commanders.

 

During the game, Travis scored his 100th career touchdown and celebrated by recreating a dance inspired by his partner, referencing her performance of “Fate of Ophelia.”

Following his record-breaking game, Travis enjoyed a week off and spent it in New York City going on dates with Taylor.

Travis recently described his time off as relaxing and enjoyable. On the November 12th episode of New Heights, he said he enjoyed exploring new places, trying delicious food, and experiencing the energy of a big city. He particularly loves this time of year, enjoying the changing seasons in the Midwest and Northeast, and called the whole experience ‘pretty fun’.

Are you ready for more of Travis and his history-making career? Keep reading… 

Although Travis Kelce is now strongly associated with Kansas City, Missouri, he actually spent his childhood growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

During game broadcasts where players are introduced, the announcer proudly states his hometown rather than his college, the University of Cincinnati.

Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums. 

I’ll always be grateful for my time at the University of Cincinnati – I really cherish those years. But it wasn’t always easy, honestly. I went through a tough period there and actually lost my scholarship for a while. I definitely made some mistakes, did some pretty dumb things looking back. I’m sure a lot of people from Cleveland Heights High know someone who’s been there, done that! I was definitely that guy, and I own up to it.

He explained that Cleveland Heights wasn’t just important to him personally, but to everyone in the community. He emphasized the city’s diversity and how it inspires him, saying everything he does – even his celebrations on the field – is a tribute to Cleveland Heights and its people. He admitted it might sound like a familiar sentiment, but assured everyone that it was genuinely true.

2. About that revoked scholarship…

Following a perfect 2009 season and a Big East championship, Travis tested positive for marijuana before the 2010 Sugar Bowl. This happened after he partied excessively on New Year’s Eve while in New Orleans.

He didn’t just miss the bowl game; the NCAA also suspended him for the entire 2010 season and took away his scholarship. This left him without housing or meals, so he moved in with his brother Jason – sharing Jason’s room with his teammates – and got a job as a telemarketer. His job involved calling people to ask their opinions on the Affordable Care Act.

They did, and Travis could not wait to get back on the field.

Before focusing on football, Travis played hockey, baseball, and basketball. He originally played quarterback in high school and was a two-star recruit for Cincinnati. However, he had to switch to tight end to rejoin the team after being suspended.

When I was drafted by the Chiefs in 2013, we already had a great quarterback in Zach Collaros, but we needed to improve both our running and passing offenses,” Travis explained to Arrowhead Pride. “I spoke with my coach, Butch Jones, and he felt a tight end was what we needed. Luckily, my abilities and athleticism fit the role perfectly, and it all worked out great for me.

He told GQ magazine in 2017, reflecting on a particularly embarrassing experience, that people had always assumed he was better suited to playing tight end.

Travis often hung out at the house on 127 W. Nixon Street with his teammate Jason and other members of the Bearcats, and things often got lively thanks to plenty of beer.

According to college friend and teammate Tom DeTemple, the brothers spent hours playing Nintendo 64, often combining it with drinking games. He told the New York Times before the 2024 Super Bowl that they’d invent spontaneous rules while playing and were surprisingly skilled at it.

5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat.

Before the 2023 Super Bowl, the Chiefs player told reporters how much Cincinnati means to him. He’s always been proud of his time at the University of Cincinnati, where he recently earned his degree, and he makes an effort to support the school whenever he can. He especially misses the players and people he connected with there, who have supported him through everything.

Even though the NCAA was investigating him, he said the players, coaches, and staff at the university had faith in him and believed he could improve his situation, which meant a lot to him then.

Nearly ten years after starting his NFL career, Travis completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022. He officially received his diploma in April 2024 at a special, impromptu graduation ceremony held in Cincinnati after he and his brother Jason recorded a live episode of their podcast, New Heights, at Fifth Third Arena.

As the graduate walked up to the dean for a congratulatory handshake, he was already holding a beer and immediately drank it down.

And Travis was going to graduate in 2022 but he missed his flight.

Travis Kelce wasn’t one of the first tight ends drafted in 2013, largely because of some personal issues. He was actually the fifth tight end selected, going to the Chiefs in the third round. Once Travis joined the team, coach Andy Reid, who had previously worked with Jason Kelce in Philadelphia, asked Jason to give him a positive assessment of his younger brother.

Andy and Travis have three Super Bowl rings to show for Jason’s endorsement.

Travis Scott used to listen to Randy Newman’s song “Burn On” before every game for years, although his pre-game music choices have since evolved.

Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, this song always makes me reflect on family and how grateful I am for my life, he explained in a 2017 interview on the NBC Sports podcast PFT Live.

Let us explain: It’s in the opening credits of Major League, the ultimate Cleveland sports movie.

9. Everyone, including Travis, is mispronouncing his last name.

I’ve noticed a lot of people, including Jason and others, have been pronouncing Travis Kelce’s name as ‘Kel-see,’ but I’ve always known it rhymes with ‘else.’ It’s a small thing, but I’m a big fan and it’s something I’ve picked up on!

Okay, so can you BELIEVE it? Chris Jones just dropped this insane news on Inside the NFL back in January – he was all, “Fking crazy, right?” – and then Jason and Travis actually talked to their dad, Ed Kelce, about it on their New Heights podcast and confirmed it was totally true! I’ve been replaying that podcast episode over and over, it’s just… everything!

Jason was confused. “Seriously, why did you change your name? And why did we all just start calling ourselves Kel-see? I mean, I’ve been called that for 27 years, and Trav for 25… it’s weird!”

Ed admitted he “got tired of correcting people” but urged his son to “do whatever you want.”

Travis has worn the number 87 his entire NFL career to honor his brother, Jason, who was born in 1987.

Travis Kelce shared with NFL Films that the story of his family’s NFL success – with both him and his brother Jason playing professionally – began in 1987, the year he was born. This was ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl, where his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, played against his brother Jason’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Travis Kelce’s Eighty Seven & Running foundation has consistently supported Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City nonprofit learning center. He first volunteered there in 2015, reading The Cat in the Hat to the children, and has been involved ever since.

Yes, reader, he wore the hat.

Since then, Travis has supported the program by funding its Smart Lab and purchasing the building next door. This allowed them to build the Ignition Lab, where students transformed old, discarded cars into functional electric vehicles.

As a little inside joke with our amazing listeners on New Heights, we affectionately call them ’92 percenters’! It all started when my brother, Jason, was talking about a really reliable football play – the quarterback sneak. He pointed out it works about 92

Listeners loved the podcast so much they started calling themselves the “92 percenters,” as if it were a special inside joke or a shared identity, according to the podcast’s website.

Who were the Kelce brothers to argue with that?

Travis Kelce works with three trainers – Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill, and Laurence Justin Ng – and typically has one of them travel with him to help him stay in peak condition for football year-round, according to The Athletic.

Alex, a physical therapist, remembered Travis wanting to go for a run late at night after Paris Fashion Week. Travis had skipped his usual workout that day and felt the need to be active.

According to a recent interview with the New York Times, the trainer said they were doing sprint workouts on the bridges over the river at midnight. The trainer emphasized that no matter where he is, he always makes time to complete his tasks.

Travis’s chef, Kumar Ferguson, is a longtime friend – they’ve known each other since fourth grade when they both lived in Cleveland Heights.

I remember back in 2016, he was just driving a truck and loved to cook as a hobby. Then, out of the blue, Travis called with an offer he couldn’t refuse – a real chance to do something with his passion!

Kumar recounted to Vanity Fair in 2023 that the person said, ‘I really want to commit to a healthy diet and get serious about it.’ Kumar responded by saying he was immediately on board, and just a few days later, he found himself in Kansas City.

He handles a wide range of tasks, from simple things like refilling Travis’s refrigerator to more involved duties like providing nutritious lunches for the entire Chiefs team at their practice facility.

Travis Kelce has been getting a lot of attention for his facial hair lately. He recently shared on his podcast, New Heights, that he shaved his beard after the season in 2023 but kept his mustache to copy the look favored by his coach, Andy Reid—and he’s doing it again in 2024.

In April 2024, Travis signed a two-year contract worth $34.25 million, making him the NFL’s highest-paid tight end – a first for his career.

Which finally put an end to years of chatter about how much money he wasn’t making.

In a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Travis jokingly said his managers and agents often point out how little he earns. He explained that whenever he asks for a raise, they tell him to ask the Kansas City Chiefs for more money.

By that point, he had found other ways to make money, so he was more interested in enjoying his work than earning a large salary.

He said the idea of a free market sounds good until you experience losing. He emphasized his enjoyment of success and his satisfaction with his current position.

It’s a little discouraging to see other players earning so much money,” he confessed. “It makes you wonder if you’re being fairly compensated. I’m not sure if pushing harder would actually get me what I deserve, but I genuinely love going to work every day.

Travis developed a passion for clothing early on, growing up in Cleveland Heights. He described his high school as a daily fashion show in a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair.

He transformed a bedroom into a walk-in closet to store his expensive clothes and impressive sneaker collection—over 300 pairs! He even splurged on a pair of size-13 Nike Air Mags with a significant part of his first professional salary, even though they didn’t quite fit.

He told the Wall Street Journal that earlier in his career, before sneaker apps were common, he’d just buy whatever size of shoe he could find that he liked.

He’s a big fan of Nike, especially since they sponsor him, but he also loves Chuck Taylor sneakers. They remind him of Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez, the amazing baseball player from the movie The Sandlot.

18. Among his dozens of investments, Travis co-owns Ohio-brewed Garage Beer with Jason.

Travis shared in a statement last June that he enjoys a beer every now and then, so he’s thrilled to be an owner of Garage Beer and help create a great light beer. He believes there’s nothing like a cold beer to bring people together, and that’s what it’s all about for him and his partner Jason—spending time with friends, family, and having fun.

19. We’re sensing a theme when it comes to Travis’ guilty pleasure TV choices.

He reminisced about the show Gossip Girl, describing it on the New Heights podcast as a classic New York high school drama. He said it was filled with gossip and people talking negatively about each other, but in a fun way.

His new favorite show? Peacock’s Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors.

After 12 seasons in the NFL, 35-year-old Travis has recently been speaking more frankly about the physical challenges of playing football.

He’s faced constant setbacks since the start of his career, beginning with a knee injury that kept him from playing his first season and ultimately led to ten surgeries.

Travis Kelce recently shared on the New Heights podcast that he tried to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it while she was performing in Kansas City, but wasn’t able to.

She heard through mutual connections that Travis wanted to meet her, and then she reached out to him.

He told WSJ. Magazine that she explained the whole situation to him and how he felt fortunate she contacted him.

Travis has always loved French toast, especially when it’s covered in whipped cream and syrup.

But more recently he’s become a fan of his girlfriend’s homemade Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls.

23. At least one of Travis’ ringtones is Chris Farley shrieking “For the love of God!” in Tommy Boy.

He told WSJ. Magazine that he’s eager to share his love of comedians like Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell with Taylor. He explained, “I told her, ‘This is what I’m really into.'”

After the Chiefs won the AFC Championship in 2019, Travis Kelce shouted “You’ve got to fight for your right to party!” This led the team to adopt the Beastie Boys’ song of the same name as their touchdown celebration at Arrowhead Stadium after every home game.

Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach described Travis Kelce as a huge boost to team morale, saying in 2020 that it’s difficult to overstate his impact. Kelce brings a contagious energy, passion, and positive attitude that draws everyone in. He’s well-liked by the entire team and consistently lifts the spirits, focus, and attention of those around him, all while keeping things enjoyable.

The person who famously introduced the 1986 song to everyone surprisingly didn’t learn all the lyrics until he had to sing it with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in February 2023.

In May 2024, Travis revealed his three favorite Taylor Swift songs: “Blank Space,” “The Alchemy,” and “So High School.”

When asked about them a few months later, he gave a different answer, saying, “I love them all—every single one!”

He publicly stated in August 2025 that his favorite song from The Life of a Show Girl is “Opalite.”

People began comparing Travis Kelce to Tony Gonzalez, the Chiefs’ all-time great tight end who retired in 2013 after 17 seasons, very early in Kelce’s career.

Back in 2015, as people began to seriously discuss whether Travis could exceed Tony’s accomplishments—and how let down everyone would be if he didn’t—Travis claimed he ignored all the talk.

I’m my own toughest critic,” he explained to Complex. “I’m aiming for a record-breaking season as a tight end – I want to have the best stats ever recorded for the position.”

In 2024, Travis became the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-time leader in receptions, breaking Tony’s record with his 917th catch.

Travis recently shared on the New Heights podcast how things often come back around. He pointed out that being a leader on the Kansas City Chiefs—a team with a long history dating back to the 1960s—feels significant. He believes their continued success is thanks to that history and especially credits Tony Gonzalez, who has been a valuable mentor to him. He expressed a strong fondness for Gonzalez.

27. Of Travis’ many accomplishments, keeping his house in order on his own isn’t one of them.

“He can’t clean,” mom Donna Kelce told Extra in September 2024. “He can’t cook.”

But perhaps hosting a special someone served as extra motivation to get it together.

“He’s getting a little better,” Donna acknowledged. “I think he’s getting some help.”

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2025-11-17 20:23