Travis Kelce did not turn over a chance to attend the 2026 NFL Honors.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce arrived at the NFL’s Super Bowl 2026 kickoff celebration on February 5th, which took place at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
Travis, a nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, wore a gray patterned suit and sunglasses for the event.
Although Taylor Swift didn’t attend the event with Travis Kelce, he subtly acknowledged her presence. He playfully took over the DJ booth while one of her songs, “The Fate of Ophelia,” was playing.
Despite everything, he still saw some friendly faces at the awards show. His brother, Jason Kelce, was there to give Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney the Protector of the Year award.
It’s uncertain what the future holds for Travis in the NFL, but he recently attended the team’s athletic ceremony. After the Chiefs didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season, speculation arose that the 36-year-old might retire when his contract with the team ends in March.
Rumors about Travis retiring grew stronger after he unexpectedly withdrew from the Pro Bowl just weeks before the game.
So, what will it take for Travis to return to the field for another season?
Travis told Jason on their January 7th podcast, New Heights, that it’s difficult to end his career this way, considering how much he’s achieved and the high expectations he’s set for himself. He plans to take a few weeks, possibly a month, to rest and decide what’s next for his football career.
To learn more about Travis’ life on and off the field, keep reading.
Although Travis Kelce is now famously 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 declares his hometown rather than his college, the University of Cincinnati.
Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums.
Travis Kelce explained that while he deeply values his time at the University of Cincinnati, it wasn’t always easy. Speaking at his 2019 Hall of Fame induction at Cleveland Heights High School, alongside his brother Jason Kelce, he admitted he faced challenges, including losing his scholarship due to some poor decisions. He joked that he was ‘that guy’ who made mistakes, and likely everyone in the room knew someone from Heights who had done the same.
He explained that Cleveland Heights wasn’t just meaningful to him personally, but to everyone in the community. He emphasized the city’s diversity and how it inspires him. He stated that everything he does is motivated by his dedication to Cleveland Heights, and even his celebrations – like dancing after scoring – are a tribute to the city and its people.
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 occurred after he partied excessively on New Year’s Eve while in New Orleans.
He didn’t just miss the bowl game—the NCAA suspended him for the entire 2010 season and he lost his athletic scholarship. This left him without housing or meals, so he moved in with his brother Jason, sharing a room in the house Jason shared with teammates. To earn money, he took a job as a telemarketer, calling people to get 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 joined the University of Cincinnati as a quarterback, but after being suspended, he was allowed to rejoin the team only if he switched positions to tight end.
When I was drafted by the Chiefs in 2013, we already had a great quarterback in Zach Collaros, but we were looking to improve both our running and passing attacks,” Travis explained to Arrowhead Pride. “I spoke with my coach, Butch Jones, and he felt a tight end would be a good fit. Luckily, my abilities and athleticism matched what they needed, and it turned out perfectly for me.
He told GQ magazine in 2017, reflecting on a particularly embarrassing experience, that people had always seemed to think he was better suited to playing tight end.
Travis often hung out at the house on 127 W. Nixon Street with Jason and his teammates, and things frequently got a little wild, fueled by 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 these games on the spot and were surprisingly skilled at them.
5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat.
Before the 2023 Super Bowl, the Chiefs player shared how much Cincinnati means to him. He’s incredibly proud of his time at the University of Cincinnati, where he recently earned his degree, and enjoys giving back to the school whenever possible. He especially misses the teammates and people he met there who have supported him through everything.
Even while facing scrutiny from the NCAA, he explained that the players, coaches, and staff at the university had faith in his ability to improve and succeed. He said their belief in him meant a lot to him at that time.
After nearly ten years away from school to pursue a career in football, 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 selected by the Chiefs in the third round, as the fifth tight end chosen overall. 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 used to listen to Randy Newman’s song “Burn On” before every game for years, though his pre-game music choices have since evolved.
Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, this song always makes me reflect on my family and how grateful I am for my life, he explained on the 2017 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.
Everyone’s been pronouncing Kelce as “Kel-see,” but the correct pronunciation actually rhymes with “else.”
The news came out when Chris Jones, Travis’ teammate, mentioned it on Inside the NFL in January—he called it “absolutely crazy.” Travis and his brother Jason later confirmed the story when they talked to their dad, Ed Kelce, on their New Heights podcast.
Jason was confused. “Seriously, why did you change your name? And how did we all just start calling ourselves Kel-see? I’ve been called that for 27 years, and Trav for 25 – it doesn’t make any sense!”
Ed admitted he “got tired of correcting people” but urged his son to “do whatever you want.”
Travis has worn the number 87 throughout his NFL career to honor his brother Jason, who was born in 1987.
Travis Kelce shared with NFL Films before the 2023 Super Bowl that the family’s NFL story – having two brothers play professionally – began with his birth in 1987. He was referencing the upcoming game between his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and his brother Jason’s team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
I’ve been so impressed watching Travis Kelce’s commitment to Operation Breakthrough in Kansas City. His foundation, 87 & Running, has supported them for years – I remember reading about his first visit back in 2015! He went and read The Cat in the Hat to the kids, and he’s been involved ever since. It’s amazing to see him consistently give back to the community and help this incredible learning center.
Yes, reader, he wore the hat.
I still can’t believe how amazing Travis is! He didn’t just donate to the program, he invested in it – the Smart Lab is incredible thanks to him. And get this – he actually bought the old muffler shop next door! Can you imagine? They turned it into the Ignition Lab, and these brilliant young students are taking cars that were basically junk and rebuilding them into electric vehicles! It’s just… breathtaking. He’s giving these kids the chance to do something truly special, and I’m obsessed with everything he does.
Travis and Jason affectionately call their podcast listeners “92 percenters.” This nickname comes from a comment Jason made about a quarterback sneak play – he said it successfully gains the necessary yard for a touchdown about 92% of the time.
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 The Athletic reports that he typically has one travel with him to stay in peak condition for football year-round.
Alex, a physical therapist, remembered that Travis wanted to go for a run late at night after Paris Fashion Week. Travis had skipped his usual workout that day and was feeling restless.
According to an interview with the New York Times in April, the trainer said they were doing sprint workouts on the bridges over the river at midnight. He added that no matter where his athlete is, he always makes time to complete necessary tasks.
Travis has been friends with his personal chef, Kumar Ferguson, since they were kids growing up in Cleveland Heights.
In 2016, he was a truck driver who enjoyed cooking as a hobby when Travis contacted him with a job offer.
I remember when he told Vanity Fair in 2023 that he really wanted to commit to a serious diet and take it to the next level. Honestly, when he said that, I was immediately on board! I didn’t hesitate – just a few days later, I was already on my way to Kansas City to help him get started.
He handles a wide range of tasks, including everything from keeping Travis’ fridge full to making sure the Chiefs players get healthy lunches at practice.
I’ve been keeping up with everything, and it’s so interesting to hear Travis explain his beard choices! He shared on New Heights that he shaved his off-season beard in 2023, but kept the mustache as a tribute to Andy Reid’s famous walrus look – and he’s doing it again this year! It’s just a fun way for him to honor his coach, and I love that he’s sticking with it.
In April 2024, Travis signed a two-year contract worth $34.25 million, making him the NFL’s highest-paid tight end for the first time in 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.
Honestly, by that point in his career, he’d diversified his income so much that the atmosphere of a project mattered more to him than the money. It wasn’t about needing the cash anymore; it was about finding work that felt right.
He explained that while a free market seems appealing, it’s frustrating when you don’t succeed. He emphasized his enjoyment of winning and his satisfaction with his current position.
He admitted it’s tough seeing other players earn so much money. It makes him wonder if he’s being fairly compensated and if he’d get what he deserves if he pushed harder for a better deal. Despite those thoughts, he genuinely loves 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, according to a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair.
Let me tell you, some of my clients really embrace their passions! I worked with one athlete who turned an entire bedroom into a walk-in closet – and it was packed! We’re talking hundreds of sneakers, and a serious collection of designer clothes. He even splurged on a pair of Nike Air Mags with his first pro paycheck, even though they didn’t quite fit! Talk about dedication to style – and a little bit of pain for fashion, I guess!
He told the Wall Street Journal that early in his career, before sneaker apps were common, he just bought 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 bring back fond memories of the movie The Sandlot and its star baseball player, Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez.
18. Among his dozens of investments, Travis co-owns Ohio-brewed Garage Beer with Jason.
As many of you know, I enjoy a good beer every now and then! So, I’m thrilled to be an owner of Garage Beer and really involved in crafting a fantastic light beer. Honestly, nothing beats bringing people together like an ice-cold brew, and for my partner Jason and me, that’s what it’s all about – good times with friends and family. It’s a passion project built on connection and fun!
19. We’re sensing a theme when it comes to Travis’ guilty pleasure TV choices.
I remember when Gossip Girl first came out – it was totally addictive! As Travis said on New Heights, it was just a really fun, dramatic show set in a New York high school, and honestly, everyone was just talking about each other. It was all about the gossip and the drama, and I was hooked!
His new favorite show? Peacock’s Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors.
Okay, so, Travis is getting older, obviously – he’s 35 and this is his 12th season! And honestly, he’s been talking a lot lately about how hard football is on his body. It’s just…seeing him admit it, it’s real. It makes you appreciate every single play even more, you know? It’s like, he’s giving us a peek behind the curtain and it’s just…wow. He’s a machine, but even machines wear down, and it’s kinda heartbreaking to hear him talk about it.
He’s quietly endured a lot of hardship from the start of his career. It began when a knee injury—a small fracture—forced him to miss his first season, and it was the first of ten surgeries he’s had so far.
Okay, so you will NOT believe this! Travis Kelce just casually dropped on his podcast, New Heights, that he tried to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it when she came to Kansas City for the Eras Tour! Seriously, a friendship bracelet with his number! I’m dying! It’s the sweetest, most adorable, and slightly desperate thing I’ve ever heard, and I need to know everything about this bracelet. Like, was she even close enough to receive the bracelet?! I’m obsessed!
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 fortunate he was that she contacted him.
Travis has always loved French toast, especially when it’s topped with 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 begin playing the Beastie Boys’ song of the same name after every touchdown scored at home games in Arrowhead Stadium.
Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach described Travis Kelce as a huge boost to team morale, saying in 2020, “It’s hard to overstate how valuable that is.” Kelce’s positive character, charisma, and passion are infectious, and he has a knack for bringing the team together. Everyone in the Chiefs organization considers Travis a friend, and he consistently lifts everyone’s spirits, improves focus, and makes the workplace enjoyable.
The person who enthusiastically introduced the song to everyone surprisingly didn’t learn all the lyrics to the 1986 hit until they were asked to sing it with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in February 2023.
In May 2024, Travis revealed his top three 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—absolutely every single one.”
Oh my gosh, you guys, he said it! Back in August 2025, he actually told everyone that his absolute favorite song from The Life of a Show Girl is “Opalite”! I nearly fainted when I heard – “Opalite”! It’s always been my favorite too, but to know he loves it the most… it’s just everything!
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 started seriously discussing whether Travis would exceed Tony’s accomplishments – and how letdown fans would be if he didn’t – Travis claimed he ignored all the talk.
I’m a huge fan, and I recently read that he said something really telling. He shared with Complex that the pressure he feels really comes from within – he’s his own biggest critic! He’s aiming for a record-breaking season, wanting to go down as the tight end with the best stats ever. It’s awesome to see that kind of dedication.
In 2024, Travis became the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-time leader in receptions, breaking the previous 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 roots going back to the 1960s – feels special because they’re one of the original franchises still succeeding at the highest level. He credits their long history and players like Tony Gonzalez, who has been a significant influence and someone he greatly admires.
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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2026-02-06 17:25