Paul Rudd is sharing the perks of being a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
After Travis Kelce apologized to a dedicated fan for the team’s difficult season, the Ant-Man actor explained his thoughts on their unusual losing streak.
During the December 22nd episode of the New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast, 56-year-old Paul shared how much being a Chiefs fan means to him. He said the team has brought his family and children so much happiness and created countless wonderful memories – it’s been a truly amazing experience.
Okay, so Paul – you guys, he’s AMAZING – has these two incredible kids, Jack and Darby, with his wife Julie. I was SO hoping the Chiefs would make it to the playoffs again – eleven years running is insane! But even though they didn’t, honestly? He says it just means other fans get to experience that team pride, and that makes him happy! He’s just the sweetest, always thinking of others, even when his own team is out. Seriously, I’m obsessed!
He acknowledged it wasn’t his year, but said he was okay with that. He understood how difficult it is and expressed excitement for whoever succeeds, hoping they enjoy it for their fans.
He’s also concerned about Patrick Mahomes, the team’s starting quarterback, who injured his ACL in his left knee during the game on December 14th.
Paul said he was thinking of Patrick and wished him a quick recovery, adding that he was doing alright and hoping for the best for the club.
Despite a challenging season for the team, Paul believes the upcoming break will be a positive thing for the players.
The actress, known for Clueless, playfully said she was glad some players would finally get a summer break. She joked that it felt like they’d already played a whole extra season, adding, ‘It’s good they get a chance to rest up.’
As he added, “I’m not too upset.”
For more on Travis’ life on and off the field, keep reading…
Everyone knows Travis Kelce as a Kansas City Chief now, and I think he’ll always be associated with the city, but it’s amazing to remember he actually grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio! It’s cool to know where he started before becoming a legend in KC.
During game broadcasts when players are introduced, the announcer proudly shouts out his hometown rather than his college, the University of Cincinnati.
Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums.
Travis Kelce shared that while he deeply values his time at the University of Cincinnati, it wasn’t always easy. Speaking at his and his brother Jason Kelce’s Hall of Fame induction in 2019, he admitted he faced challenges, including losing his scholarship due to some poor decisions. He joked that he was ‘that guy’ who made mistakes, something many from their high school likely recognized.
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 inspired 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 it was genuinely true.
2. About that revoked scholarship…
I was absolutely devastated when I heard about Travis! After they had the perfect 2009 season – winning the Big East and everything! – he just… messed up. Apparently, he was celebrating New Year’s Eve in New Orleans and partied a little too much, and it showed up on a drug test right before the Sugar Bowl. It was heartbreaking, honestly. Such a letdown after everything they’d accomplished.
He didn’t just miss the bowl game – the NCAA suspended him for the entire 2010 season and he lost his scholarship too. This left him without housing or meals, so he ended up moving in with his brother Jason, sharing a room in the house Jason shared with teammates. To make ends meet, 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.
Travis was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing hockey, baseball, and basketball before focusing on football. He originally played quarterback and was recruited to Cincinnati as a two-star QB. However, after being suspended from the team, he was allowed to rejoin 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 needed more support for both running and passing plays. I spoke with my coach, Butch Jones, and he felt a tight end would be a good fit. Thankfully, my abilities and athleticism matched what they were looking for, and it all worked out really well 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 his teammate Jason and other members of the Bearcats, and things often got wild with a lot of beer involved.
According to college friend and teammate Tom DeTemple, the brothers would spend 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 expressed strong pride in his time at the University of Cincinnati, where he recently earned his diploma, and his continued support for the school. He enjoys visiting when he can and fondly remembers his teammates and the people who supported him throughout his life.
Even though the NCAA was investigating, he explained that the players, coaches, and staff at the university had faith in him and believed he could improve. He said their support meant a lot to him then.
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. Once he joined the team, coach Andy Reid, who had previously worked with Travis’s brother Jason in Philadelphia, asked Jason to give Travis a positive recommendation.
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 shared 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.” Jason and he were also pronouncing it that way.
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 why did we all just think it was ‘Kel-see’ for so long – for 27 years for me, 25 for Trav?”
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 success – having both him and his brother Jason play professionally – began with his birth in 1987. He was referencing the fact that his birth year ultimately paved the way for both brothers to reach the NFL, with they facing off in the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles.
Travis Kelce’s Eighty Seven & Running foundation has consistently supported Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City nonprofit learning center. He first began volunteering with the organization in 2015, reading The Cat in the Hat to the children.
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.
Travis and Jason affectionately call their podcast audience “92 percenters.” This nickname comes from a joke Jason made about a football play—the quarterback sneak—claiming it succeeds almost every time (92 percent) when a team only needs to gain one yard for a touchdown.
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 travel with him to help him stay in peak condition for football year-round, according to The Athletic.
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 eager to get some exercise.
In April, the trainer told the New York Times that they were doing sprint workouts on the bridges above the river, even at midnight. He emphasized that no matter the circumstances, this athlete always manages to complete what’s necessary.
Travis’s chef, Kumar Ferguson, is actually a childhood friend – they’ve known each other since fourth grade when they both lived in Cleveland Heights.
In 2016, he was driving a truck and enjoyed cooking as a hobby when Travis contacted him with a job offer.
I had a client come to me recently, really motivated to overhaul his eating habits and get serious about his health. He basically said he wanted to take things to the next level, and honestly, that’s music to my ears! I immediately jumped into action, and within just a few days, I was on a plane to Kansas City to help him kick things off.
He handles a wide range of tasks, from simple things like keeping Travis’ fridge full to more involved duties like providing nutritious lunches for the Chiefs players at their practice facility.
Okay, so everyone’s been obsessed with Travis’s face lately, and I finally got the scoop on the beard situation! Apparently, he shaved off his full off-season beard in 2023 and kept just the mustache as a tribute to Andy Reid’s iconic walrus look – seriously, it’s a whole thing! And guess what? He’s doing it again in 2024! It’s just… perfect. I knew there was a reason he was rocking that ‘stache, it’s a total nod to Coach Reid, and I’m living for it!
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 Kelce joked that his managers and agents frequently point out he deserves a raise. He said whenever he brings up wanting more money, they tell him to ask the Kansas City Chiefs for it.
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 seems good until you experience losing. He emphasized his enjoyment of success and satisfaction with his current position.
He admitted it’s discouraging to see other players earning so much more money. It makes him wonder if he’s being fairly compensated, and whether pushing for a bigger contract would actually pay off. Despite these concerns, he genuinely enjoys his work and loves going to the facility each 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 turned a bedroom into a walk-in closet to store his expensive clothes and impressive sneaker collection, which included 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.
Okay, so back when I was first starting out, before all these crazy sneaker apps existed, getting the shoes I wanted was a total struggle! Seriously, I’d just grab whatever size was available – I wasn’t about to be picky. You just had to take what you could get, you know? It was a different world back then!
He’s a big fan of Nike, especially since they sponsor him, but he also loves Chuck Taylor sneakers. They remind him of the iconic baseball player 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 shared in a statement last June that he enjoys a beer from time to time, so he’s thrilled to be an owner of Garage Beer and help create a great light beer. He believes there’s nothing quite like a cold beer to bring people together, and that’s what he and Jason value most about beer: good times with friends and family.
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 full of gossip and people talking negatively about each other, but in a really entertaining way.
His new favorite show? Peacock’s Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors.
After playing in the NFL for twelve seasons, 35-year-old Travis has recently been sharing more about the physical challenges of the sport.
He’s quietly endured a lot of physical hardship from the start of his career. It began when a knee injury – a small fracture – forced him to miss his first season and led to a decade of ten surgeries.
Travis Kelce recently shared on his podcast, New Heights, 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 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 wants 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 to the team playing the Beastie Boys’ song of the same name after every touchdown scored at home games at Arrowhead Stadium.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach described Travis Kelce as a huge boost to team morale, saying in 2020 that it’s difficult to measure just how valuable he is. Kelce brings a positive energy, charisma, and passion that lifts everyone around him. He’s well-liked by the entire team and consistently improves the mood, focus, and attention of his teammates, all while keeping things enjoyable.
The person who enthusiastically introduced the song to everyone surprisingly didn’t learn all the lyrics to the 1986 hit until he had 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—honestly, 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 would 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 harshest critic,” he explained to Complex. “I’m aiming to have the best statistical season ever for a tight end.
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 it feels to be succeeding with the Kansas City Chiefs, a team with a long and storied history dating back to the 1960s. He noted that the Chiefs are one of the original teams that have remained consistently successful, and he attributes much of that to their history and the influence of players like Tony Gonzalez, who he considers a mentor and 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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2025-12-22 23:21