Jason Kelce took his love of football to New Heights.
On January 26th, the retired center from the Philadelphia Eagles saw both his old team and the Kansas City Chiefs earn their spots for the Super Bowl.
In case you missed it, Jason started his day at Lincoln Financial Field, joining Eagles fans for tailgating prior to their match against the Washington Commanders. The host of “They Call It Late Night” took part in a bench press challenge and sang the Eagles fight song with supporters, before going indoors to catch up with his ex-coaches and teammates as they prepared to play.
The day in Philadelphia was filled with celebrities, as Jason found himself among fellow passionate Eagles supporters like Bradley Cooper and his daughter Lea (age 7), along with Irina Shayk. Additionally, Kevin Hart was there with his 7-year-old son Kenzo.
Jason, anticipating his fourth child with spouse Kylie Kelce, was absent from the stadium as the Eagles clinched a spot in the Super Bowl, outplaying the Commanders with a score of 55-23.
Nevertheless, Jason felt a significant distance from his previous team as he expressed joy on platform X (previously known as Twitter), by posting, “What a great time, these guys are exceptionally talented. GO Eagles!
Still, Jason had a lot more celebration left as he made his way to Chiefs kingdom.
The host of the show “New Heights” was spotted a short while later in the Kansas City suites, donning his brother’s No. 87 jersey, as Travis Kelce and the Chiefs secured their place in the Super Bowl by overcoming the Buffalo Bills 32-29.
Additionally, Jason responded to his little brother’s impressive move by posting on Twitter, “Fantastic block, Travislav!!
Travis received additional encouragement when Taylor Swift, along with her mom Andrea Swift, joined him to cheer for his win following their team’s success.
The upcoming Super Bowl between the Eagles and the Chiefs will be a repeat of their past encounter, a clash that took place in the grand event back in 2023. That time around, it was Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, led by Travis Kelce, who emerged victorious over Jason and his team with a score of 38-35. After 13 seasons in the NFL, Jason decided to hang up his cleats and retire the following year.
For the Chiefs, they stand an opportunity to create NFL history by becoming the initial team to achieve three consecutive Super Bowl victories, assuming they win in both 2023 and 2024, which some are referring to as a three-time championship.
Super Bowl LIX will take place on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.
For everything you need to know about Travis Kelce ahead of the Super Bowl, keep reading…
Despite the fact that Travis Kelce might always be connected to Kansas City, Missouri, on a deep level, he spent his childhood years in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Instead of mentioning his alma mater, University of Cincinnati, during game broadcasts with player introductions, the man enthusiastically shouts out his hometown instead.
Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums.
Travis expressed in 2019, during his and brother Jason Kelce’s induction into the Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame, that he holds his time at the University of Cincinnati dear. However, he also acknowledged that there was a period when life there wasn’t simple for him. It was challenging. He lost his scholarship, and he made some foolish decisions. It’s likely that many people in the room can relate to someone from Heights who has done similar things. To his friends, he admitted, he was that person who sometimes made poor choices.
As I stand here, my heart swells with a passion that’s hard to put into words. This isn’t just about me; it’s about us, about every soul graced by the magic of these heights. The diversity here is breathtaking, and it stirs something deep within me. Every action I take, every move I make, it’s all for this city, this beloved Cleveland Heights. It may sound overused, but trust me, when you see me celebrating in the end zone, know that’s a piece of Cleveland Heights, dedicated to you.
2. About that revoked scholarship…
Following their unbeaten 2009 season with a Big East championship, Travis found himself failing a drug test for marijuana prior to the 2010 Sugar Bowl. This was due to overindulging during New Year’s Eve celebrations in New Orleans.
Apart from forfeiting the bowl game, he faced severe consequences: The NCAA suspended him for the 2010 season, causing him to lose his scholarship, which left him homeless. He then moved in with his brother Jason, sharing a room in their shared house with teammates, and began working as a telemarketer, soliciting opinions on the Affordable Care Act from call recipients.
They did, and Travis could not wait to get back on the field.
3. Prior to focusing on football, Travis had experience with hockey, baseball, and basketball. During high school, he served as a quarterback. Interestingly, he was a two-star recruit for the quarterback position at Cincinnati. However, due to certain circumstances following his suspension, he transitioned into the tight end role on the team.
Back when I joined the Chiefs in 2013, we had this phenomenal quarterback named Zach Collaros. Our team was yearning for some reinforcement, both on the ground and through the air. So, after getting drafted, I sat down with Coach Butch Jones, who happened to be my coach then. He mentioned that we needed a versatile tight end, and fortunately, my abilities, agility, and aptitude perfectly matched their requirements. It all fell into place like a well-orchestrated plan for me.
In a 2017 interview with GQ, he expressed that for as long as he can remember, people have seen him more like a tight end rather than a shining star.
4. The house located on 127 West Nixon Street, where Travis shared a room with Jason and some other Bearcats, was often the site of mischief fueled by beer.
Tom DeTemple, a college friend and teammate, shared with the New York Times before the 2024 Super Bowl that the brothers were fond of spending hours on their Nintendo 64, simultaneously pressing the controls and drinking beers. He added that they often devised impromptu drinking games during play sessions, and they excelled at them remarkably.
5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat.
He shared with reporters before the 2023 Super Bowl, “Everything revolves around Cincinnati for me.” In the AFC Championship Game, his team defeated the Bengals to earn their spot. His affection for the University of Cincinnati runs deep; he’s finally received his diploma and does his best to assist them whenever possible. He often returns to the university and cherishes the camaraderie with his former teammates and the supportive individuals he encountered throughout his journey there, who have stood by him through life’s highs and lows.
When he faced difficulties with the NCAA, he said, “Those who were part of the university – players, coaches, staff – had faith in my abilities to improve and perform better personally. Their belief was a significant source of strength for me during that period.
After nearly a decade since I left college to join the draft, I finally earned my degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022—a moment that came much later than anticipated. However, the wait was worth it! In an unexpected turn of events, I didn’t receive my diploma until April 2024 during a surprise commencement ceremony. This extraordinary occasion coincided with Jason and I taping a live episode of New Heights at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena—an unforgettable experience that added an extra layer of excitement to this long-awaited milestone.
As the graduate walked towards the dean to receive his congratulatory handshake, he was already carrying a can of beer, which he swiftly drank after the shake.
And Travis was going to graduate in 2022 but he missed his flight.
7. Due mainly to some problems away from the field, Travis was selected fifth among tight ends in the 2013 NFL Draft, being taken in the third round by the Chiefs. Subsequently, coach Andy Reid, who had previously coached Jason in Philadelphia, asked the older Kelce sibling to endorse Travis.
Andy and Travis have three Super Bowl rings to show for Jason’s endorsement.
8. For many years, Travis would listen to Randy Newman’s “Burn On” as his pre-game music, even though the type of hype music he listens to has evolved since then.
He, who hails from the east side of Cleveland, shared that a particular song transports him to memories of his family and contemplates his current life path, expressing deep gratitude for it all. This sentiment was expressed on the NBC Sports podcast ‘PFT Live’ in 2017.
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.
Even though they’ve recently been accompanied by someone whose name, Kelce, may initially sound like “Kel-see”, it actually shares the same rhythm as “else”.
On “Inside the NFL” in January, Chris Jones, a teammate of Travis, blurted out the surprising revelation, “Isn’t that insane?” This claim was later verified when the brothers confronted their father, Ed Kelce, about it on their “New Heights” podcast.
Jason wondered aloud, “Why on earth did you suddenly decide to change your name and now we are known as Kel-see? After all these years, why did we think our names were what they were for the past 24 years, in my case, and 25 years for Trav?
Ed admitted he “got tired of correcting people” but urged his son to “do whatever you want.”
10. Travis, who’s been playing in the NFL wearing jersey No. 87, pays homage to Jason, born in the same year, 1987.
Travis clarified to NFL Films before the 2023 Super Bowl, where his Chiefs faced off against Jason’s Philadelphia Eagles, that if there is a Kelce legacy in the NFL, it can be traced back to 1987, as that was the year when this towering figure came into the world.
For many years, Travis’ foundation and Running have been generously supporting Operation Breakthrough, a non-profit learning center in Kansas City, where the athlete has been involved since his initial visit in 2015, when he read “The Cat in the Hat” to the children there.
Yes, reader, he wore the hat.
After that, Travis decided to put money into the Smart Lab project and purchase the neighboring old muffler shop. This allowed them to grow and establish the Ignition Lab, a place where young students transform old automobiles that might have been discarded into functioning electric vehicles.
12. Travis and Jason nickname their listeners as “92 percenters,” inspired by Jason’s past observation that a quarterback sneak play was successful approximately 92% of the time in situations where only one yard is required to achieve a touchdown.
Apparently, fans delightedly named themselves as the “92 percenters,” based on the podcast’s website. This term was reminiscent, they suggested, of a hidden code or password, but articulated through spoken language instead.
Who were the Kelce brothers to argue with that?
13. Travis is accompanied by his three trainers – Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill, and Laurence Justin Ng – everywhere he goes, as one of them always joins him to maintain his physical fitness for football throughout the entire year, as reported by The Athletic.
Alex, who happens to be a physical therapist as well, remembered Travis expressing his desire to go for an evening jog following a day packed with fashion shows at Paris Fashion Week, as he hadn’t had a chance to exercise that day.
At midnight, the coach instructed the New York Times in April that we’re running short, intense distances across the bridges over the river. Regardless of his location, he always manages to accomplish whatever tasks are necessary for him.
14. Kumar Ferguson, whom Travis considers as more than just his personal chef, has been a cherished friend of his since their days at Cleveland Heights back in the fourth grade.
In the year 2016, he was a part-time chef while driving trucks. That’s when Travis contacted him with an offer.
In 2023, Kumar said to Vanity Fair, “He expressed something like, ‘Hey buddy, I’m committed to improving my diet significantly,'” and my response was, “Wow, let’s make it happen. A few days after that, I found myself in Kansas City.
He has taken care of a wide range of tasks, including filling Travis’ refrigerator and providing balanced meals at the Chiefs’ training center.
15. Travis is receiving closer scrutiny than usual on his facial hair, so he shared on New Heights that he shaved off his off-season beard last year but kept the mustache as a tribute to Andy Reid’s walrus look, and plans to do the same in 2024.
16. In April 2024, Travis secured a two-year deal worth $34.25 million, marking the first time in his career that he became the highest-earning tight end in the NFL.
Which finally put an end to years of chatter about how much money he wasn’t making.
In a conversation with Vanity Fair in 2023, Travis jokingly mentioned that his supervisors and representatives frequently remind him of his underpayment. Whenever he brings up the topic of earning more, they casually suggest, “Perhaps you should approach the Chiefs about it.
However, as more avenues for earning emerged for him, what mattered most was the overall atmosphere rather than the salary.
He stated that the freedom of the market seems exciting, but when one doesn’t succeed, it becomes clear. He confessed his affection for triumphing and appreciates his current circumstances.
Admittedly, witnessing other players’ substantial winnings gives a slight pang, he confessed. It tends to make one wonder if they’re being underpaid. I can’t say for sure if I would achieve what they claim is my value if I really gave it my all. However, I do know that I always look forward to going to that building every day.
17. Travis developed an interest in fashion during his childhood years in Cleveland Heights, as his high school seemed more like a daily fashion show, according to his remarks to Vanity Fair in the year 2023.
Consequently, he transformed the room into a closet, providing ample space for his designer clothes and over 300 pairs of sneakers, including a set of Nike Air Mags (size 13) that he splurged a significant part of his first year’s earnings on, even though they were slightly too small for him.
In the early stages of my journey, before smartphone apps took over the sneaker world, I would grab any size shoe that caught my eye if it was available. (I, as an enthusiastic sneaker fan, shared this insight with the Wall Street Journal.)
Despite being predominantly a fan of Nike (not only due to their sponsorship but for other reasons as well), Chuck Taylors also hold a special place in his heart, reminding him of the fictional baseball prodigy Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez from the movie “The Sandlot“.
18. Among his dozens of investments, Travis co-owns Ohio-brewed Garage Beer with Jason.
Travis stated back in June that it’s no secret he enjoys having a few beers occasionally. So, the fact that he owns Garage Beer and plays a significant role in crafting top-notch light beer is truly thrilling for him! There’s nothing more effective at uniting folks than an ice-cold brew, and for Travis and Jason, that’s what beer represents – camaraderie, family, and good times.
19. We’re sensing a theme when it comes to Travis’ guilty pleasure TV choices.
In the past, I found myself captivated by the series known as ‘Gossip Girl’. As I reminisce, I can’t help but exclaim, “It’s simply fantastic!” This was expressed during an interview on ‘New Heights’. The show was like a microcosm of New York high school life, filled with a multitude of dramatic events. Essentially, it revolved around everyone gossiping and passing judgments about each other.
His new favorite show? Peacock’s Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors.
20. Recently, Travis, who’s in his 12th season in the NFL and 35 years old, has become more candid about the physical strain football puts on a player’s body.
However, he’s faced numerous setbacks right from the start. His rookie season was sidelined due to a microfracture in his knee, which marked the beginning of the ten surgeries he underwent throughout his professional career.
As a lifestyle expert, I shared my story on “New Heights” recently, recounting an unsuccessful endeavor to connect with Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour stop in Kansas City. I had crafted a friendship bracelet with my phone number on it, hoping to establish a friendly connection, but alas, it didn’t quite work out as planned.
After learning about it through word-of-mouth from people within her circle who were aware of Travis and his desire to meet her, she reached out to him.
He shared with WSJ. Magazine that she clearly explained the situation to him and luckily managed to contact him.
22. For as long as anyone can remember, Travis has had a particular fondness for French toast, which he loves to enjoy when it’s been generously drizzled with whipped cream and syrup.
But more recently he’s become a fan of his girlfriend’s homemade Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls.
23. One of Travis’ phone tones features Chris Farley yelling “Goodness gracious me!” (which is similar to ‘For the love of God!’) from the movie Tommy Boy.
He shared with WSJ. The Magazine that he had introduced his love for the comedy of Farley, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell to his girlfriend, saying, “I made it clear: This is what I’m all about.
24. Following their victory against the Bengals in the AFC Championship game in 2019, Travis excitedly shouted “You’ve got to fight for your right to party!”. From then on, the Beastie Boys song with the same title became a tradition for the Chiefs team to play after each home game touchdown at Arrowhead Stadium.
In 2020, General Manager Brett Veach described Travis Kelce to ESPN as something akin to an “energy booster,” which is difficult to put a number on how significant that is. He possesses a unique blend of personality, charisma, and enthusiasm that draws people in. At our facility, everyone seems to be friends with Travis Kelce. He’s not just an energy provider, but he uplifts the spirits, focus, and attention of those around him. In essence, he keeps things lively and enjoyable while still maintaining high levels of productivity.
However, the lively party host who introduced it into their life confessed that he wasn’t familiar with all the lyrics of the 1986 hit until he was asked to perform it alongside Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in February 2023.
25. Regarding his preferred Taylor Swift songs, in May 2024, Travis mentioned that he really enjoys “Blank Space”, “The Alchemy”, and “So High School”.
Or:
25. In May 2024, when discussing his favorite tunes by Taylor Swift, Travis pointed out three of his top picks: “Blank Space”, “The Alchemy”, and “So High School”.
Inquired about it back in September, but come to find out, his response had shifted to something more inclusive, stating that he adores them all – every single one without exception.
26. Early in his career, Travis drew comparisons to the esteemed tight end Tony Gonzalez, who concluded his 17-season NFL tenure in 2013.
In 2015, as speculation grew about whether he could match or even surpass Tony’s accomplishments, and the disappointment that might follow if he fell short, Travis chose to ignore such discussions.
In his conversation with Complex, he expressed that he holds himself to the highest standards. He aspires to achieve the most outstanding statistical season any tight end has ever recorded.
On September 29th, Travis took the lead as the Kansas City Chiefs’ record holder for most receptions, reaching a total of 917 catches, surpassing Tony.
Travis remarked on New Heights, “It’s amazing how things tend to repeat themselves.” Being at the pinnacle of the leaderboard with the Kansas City Chiefs, an organization dating back to the ’60s and one of the original teams that managed to survive till now, is a testament to their rich history. A significant part of their success can be attributed to someone like Tony Gonzalez, who has been a mentor for me. I truly admire him.
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. “He can’t cook.”
Perhaps the prospect of having a special guest while she’s in town has given an additional push to tidy up and organize things nicely.
“He’s getting a little better,” Donna acknowledged. “I think he’s getting some help.”
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2025-01-27 17:33