Travis Kelce Breaks Silence on NFL Return With Kansas City Chiefs

Travis Kelce doesn’t have any more blank spaces on his calendar.

The football star said he’s coming back to play for the Kansas City Chiefs next season, following the announcement made on March 9th.

Travis Kelce recently told Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show that he’s returning to the Chiefs. He admitted the decision didn’t take long, saying, “I’m not gonna lie, it was pretty short and brief.” He also shared that the Chiefs were aware of his plans throughout the process.

He advised taking some time to calm down and assess how you’re feeling physically. Despite everything, he expressed his continued passion for the game, saying he still loves the daily work, the practices, and the challenge of playing.

He also noted that he still feels his “best opportunity” was to play for the Chiefs another year.

I’ve been following Travis Kelce for a while now, and it’s so exciting to see him planning his wedding with Taylor Swift! He actually talked about what he’ll miss most about football once he retires, and I remember reading about it. It’s really sweet to think about what’s important to him, even with everything else going on.

He explained on the March 4th episode of his podcast, New Heights, co-hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, that it’s those high-pressure moments in important games that really stand out. He described the feeling of needing to perform well with so many people – 70,000 fans, plus his teammates – relying on him.

Travis said those clutch performances in important games – like the playoffs – were a feeling he knew he’d never experience again.

Travis’s strong emotional bond with football is why fellow player Rob Gronkowski advised him to carefully consider retirement before making a final decision.

Having been through a similar experience, my advice to him would be to trust your instincts,” the former NFL tight end shared on Good Morning America in December. “If you genuinely love football and feel you still belong on the field, then consider a return. Carefully evaluate all available opportunities, weigh the pros and cons, and don’t rush your decision.

Rob, who briefly retired in 2019 before playing two more seasons in the NFL, explained that players should only return to football if they genuinely feel they still have what it takes. He added that if someone isn’t fully committed to the game, they have plenty of other paths to success and will likely thrive in whatever they pursue next.

Travis is already seeing success off the field, with a role in the upcoming movie Happy Gilmore 2 and the opening of his restaurant, 1587 Prime, which he co-owns with teammate Patrick Mahomes.

But he has one more idea of what he’ll want to pursue when he does step off the field for good.

On a June episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis said he wants to be able to talk about the game immediately after finishing playing. He explained he’d like to share his thoughts on the game and his coach right then and there.

Score more fun facts about Travis Kelce here…

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, this man always proudly announces 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 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, like many from Cleveland Heights High School, he wasn’t perfect and had made his share of mistakes, and that he was ‘that guy’ among his friends.

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 inspired him, saying everything he does is for Cleveland Heights. He admitted it might sound like a familiar sentiment, but assured everyone that even his celebratory moments – like dancing after scoring – were a tribute to his hometown and its people.

2. About that revoked scholarship…

Following Cincinnati’s perfect 2009 season and 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 suspended him for the entire 2010 season and he lost his college scholarship. This left him without housing or meals, so he moved in with his brother Jason—sharing Jason’s room in the house Jason shared with teammates—and took a job as a telemarketer. His job involved calling people and asking for 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 a two-star recruit for Cincinnati, but switched to tight end after being suspended from the team – it was a requirement for him to rejoin the team.

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 our running and passing attacks,” 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 naturally suited to play 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 they frequently had lively, beer-fueled fun there.

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 drinking 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 shared how much pride he has for his hometown and the University of Cincinnati. He recently earned his degree from the university and enjoys returning to campus whenever possible to support the program and reconnect with former teammates and friends who have supported him throughout his life.

Even while facing scrutiny from the NCAA, he explained that the players, coaches, and staff at the university had faith in him and believed he could improve his situation. He said their support meant a lot to him then.

After nearly ten years away from school to pursue his football career, Travis completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022. He didn’t receive his diploma, however, until April 2024. He was surprised with a special graduation ceremony after he and his brother Jason recorded a live episode of their podcast, New Heights, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati.

As the graduate went to shake the dean’s hand in congratulations, 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 picked fifth at the position, going to the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round. Once Travis joined the Chiefs, head coach Andy Reid—who had previously coached Travis’s brother, Jason, in Philadelphia—asked Jason to give him a positive assessment of Travis’s character.

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 changed.

Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, this song always makes me reflect on family and my life, and how grateful I am, 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, saying, “It’s just crazy, right?” 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 suddenly start thinking it was ‘Kel-see’ after 24, 25, even 27 years?” he asked.

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 – with both him and his brother Jason reaching the professional level – began in 1987, the year he was born. He was referencing the game between his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and his brother Jason’s team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always impressed when successful people give back, and Travis Kelce is a perfect example! His foundation, 87 & Running, has consistently supported Operation Breakthrough, a fantastic learning center in Kansas City. I first learned about their connection when I discovered Travis began volunteering there back in 2015 – he even read The Cat in the Hat to the kids! It’s wonderful to see him consistently supporting such a great cause and making a real difference in the lives of those children.

Yes, reader, he wore the hat.

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

I absolutely love how Travis and Jason refer to us, their listeners, as “92 percenters!” It all started when Jason mentioned that a quarterback sneak – you know, when the quarterback just tries to push forward for one yard – works about 92% of the time when you really need that touchdown. It’s become such a fun inside joke and a great way for them to connect with all of us!

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?

Okay, so you won’t BELIEVE how dedicated Travis Kelce is! He has three trainers – Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill, and Laurence Justin Ng – and seriously, one of them practically lives with him! I read that one trainer travels everywhere with Travis to make sure he stays in peak condition for catching those amazing passes, all year long. It’s insane, but that’s just how committed he is to the game. I mean, three trainers?! He’s a machine!

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 in April, the trainer said they were doing sprint workouts on the bridges above the river at midnight. He emphasized that no matter where his athlete is, he always makes time to complete necessary tasks.

Travis has known 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.

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

He handles a wide range of tasks, from simple things like refilling Travis’ 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 and 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 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 Kelce joked that his managers and agents constantly point out how little he earns. He said whenever he asks for a raise, they tell him to ask the Kansas City Chiefs for more money.

By that point, he had so many other ways to earn money that he was more interested in enjoying his work than getting a big salary.

He said the idea of a free market seems good until you experience losing. He emphasized that he enjoys being successful and is happy with his current position.

It’s a little discouraging to see how much other players are earning,” he said. “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 enjoy my work and going to the facility every day.

Travis developed a passion for clothing at a young age while 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 huge 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 paycheck, even though they didn’t quite fit.

He told the Wall Street Journal that early 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 the famous 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 for him and his partner Jason, that’s what beer is all about—connecting with friends and family and having a good time.

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 explained it was full of gossip and people talking negatively about each other.

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 more vocal about the physical challenges of playing football.

From the very beginning of his career, he’s quietly endured a lot of hardship. It started when a knee injury—a small fracture—forced him to miss his first season, and it’s continued with a total of ten surgeries throughout his career.

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.

Okay, so the story goes that word on the street – from people close to her who knew Travis and that he was interested – eventually reached her. That’s when she took the initiative and 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 wanted to share his favorite comedians – like Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell – with Taylor. He explained, “I told her, ‘This is what I really love.’”

After the Chiefs won the AFC Championship in 2019, Travis Kelce shouted “You’ve got to fight for your right to party!” This inspired the team to play 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 brings a contagious energy, passion, and positive attitude that unites the team. Everyone in the Chiefs organization considers Travis a friend, and he consistently lifts the spirits, focus, and overall mood 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 top three Taylor Swift songs: “Blank Space,” “The Alchemy,” and “So High School.”

When asked about it a few months later, he gave a different answer, saying, “I love them all—absolutely 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 failed – Travis claimed he ignored all the talk.

I’m my own harshest critic,” he said to Complex. “I’m aiming for a record-breaking season – I want to be the best tight end statistically, ever.”

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 his podcast, New Heights, how much it means to him that his success with the Kansas City Chiefs feels like a full-circle moment. He noted the team’s long history, dating back to the 1960s, and how they’ve remained a top contender for so long. He especially expressed his gratitude for Tony Gonzalez, a player he considers a mentor and someone he deeply 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.”

2026-03-10 20:19

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