Long live all the magic Travis Kelce made.
Although Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce hasn’t said if he’s retiring, his game against the Denver Broncos on December 25th could have been his last time playing at Arrowhead Stadium.
After Kansas City’s loss, the 36-year-old said he was experiencing a lot of different emotions, as reported by the Associated Press. He explained that with so many people watching, it was a great opportunity for younger players to get a taste of what playing in the NFL is all about, especially on national television.
Is this the end of an era for Travis Kelce? When asked by reporters, the fiancé of Taylor Swift said he’ll decide about his future with his family, friends, and the Chiefs organization when the time is right.
He’ll especially turn to his brother Jason Kelce, who understands the situation all too well.
During an interview with Prime Video before the Chiefs-Broncos game, Travis mentioned that his brother retired at age 36. He then turned to Tony Gonzalez, adding, “I also have you, who retired at 37.”
He knows once he makes the call, it’s endgame.
Travis said that once something is finished, it’s truly finished. He still feels a strong love for football and admitted that if he were to return to the game, it would be because he’s driven by that passion and genuine affection for it.
With the Chiefs eliminated from playoff contention and their season ending January 4th against the Raiders, Travis Kelce said he’s focused on giving his best effort in their final game for the fans.
And hopefully, during the offseason, he’ll get some clarity on that blank space in his future.
Jason said on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on December 15th that the best way to make the right call is to take a short break and clear your head.
After a season ends, there’s a lot of feelings, the former Eagles center explained. It’s important to take some time away and reflect, and eventually, things will become clearer.
Now, take a step back and take in these surprising facts about Travis…
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 when 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.
Travis Kelce shared that while he deeply values his time at the University of Cincinnati, it wasn’t always easy. Speaking at his Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame induction in 2019, alongside his brother Jason, he admitted he faced challenges, including losing his scholarship due to some poor decisions. He jokingly acknowledged that he was likely the ‘Heights kid’ everyone knew who made mistakes.
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 celebratory moments – 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 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 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.
Travis was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing hockey, baseball, and basketball before focusing on football. He originally started as a quarterback and was even a two-star recruit for Cincinnati. However, after being suspended, he was allowed back on 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 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 would be a good fit. Luckily, my abilities and athleticism translated well to the position, and it all worked out perfectly for me.
He told GQ magazine in 2017, reflecting on a particularly embarrassing experience, that people had always assumed he was suited to be a tight end throughout his life.
Travis and his teammates, including Jason, often had lively, beer-fueled fun at the house on 127 W. Nixon Street where they lived.
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 were very skilled at creating these games on the fly while playing, and weren’t afraid to get competitive.
5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat.
Before the 2023 Super Bowl, the quarterback told reporters 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 actively supports the school whenever he can. He especially misses the players and people he met there who have always supported him through thick and thin.
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 a career in football, Travis completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022. He didn’t receive his diploma until April 2024, when 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 actually the fifth tight end selected, going to the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round. Once Travis joined the Chiefs, head coach Andy Reid, who had previously worked with Travis’s brother Jason in Philadelphia, asked Jason to give him a positive recommendation about Travis.
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, though his pre-game music choices have evolved since then.
Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, this song always makes me reflect on my family and where I am in life, and I’m really grateful for it all,” 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.” Jason and he were doing it the same way, too.
The news came out when Chris Jones, Travis’ teammate, mentioned it on Inside the NFL in January, famously saying, “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 just think it was Kel-see for so long – for my first 27 years, and Trav’s 25?”
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 that the family’s NFL story – with both him and his brother Jason reaching the league – began in 1987, the year he was born, just before the 2023 Super Bowl where his Chiefs played against Jason’s Eagles.
As a big believer in giving back, I’ve always admired Travis Kelce’s commitment to the Kansas City community. His foundation, 87 & Running, has been a wonderful supporter of Operation Breakthrough for years. I first learned about their partnership back in 2015 when Travis visited the learning center and read The Cat in the Hat to the kids – it was such a heartwarming experience, and it sparked a lasting relationship. It’s fantastic to see an athlete use his platform to make a real difference in the lives of young people.
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 create the Ignition Lab, where students transform old, discarded cars into functional electric vehicles.
Travis and Jason affectionately call their podcast listeners “92 percenters.” This nickname comes from a joke Jason made about a quarterback sneak play – he said it works about 92
Listeners of the podcast loved a particular statistic so much they playfully started calling themselves the “92 percenters.” The podcast’s website described it as a shared inside joke among fans.
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. He added 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 take it to the next level.’ Kumar responded that he immediately agreed, and just three or four days later, he found himself in Kansas City.
He handles a wide range of tasks, from simple things like keeping Travis’ fridge full to making sure the Chiefs players get healthy, complete lunches at practice.
Okay, so you guys, I’ve been obsessed with tracking Travis’s facial hair, and he finally explained it all on the podcast! Apparently, he shaved his beard after the season in 2023 and kept the mustache specifically to copy Andy Reid’s iconic walrus look – it’s a tribute! And get this, he’s doing it again in 2024! It’s just… everything about this is perfect, honestly. I need more details, obviously, but the mustache is staying, and it’s all because of Coach Reid! 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 often point out he deserves a raise. He said whenever he mentions wanting more money, they tell him to ask the Kansas City Chiefs for it.
By that point, he had so many other ways to make money that he was more interested in enjoying his work than in how much it paid.
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.
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 concerns, he genuinely enjoys his work and loves going to the office every day.
Travis developed a passion for clothing as a teenager growing up in Cleveland Heights. He described his high school as a daily fashion show, according to 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 early in his career, before sneaker apps were common, he’d just buy whatever size of a shoe he could find that he liked.
He’s a loyal Nike fan, 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.
Travis shared in a statement last June that he enjoys a beer occasionally, 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 connect people, and for him and his partner, Jason, that’s what beer is all about—spending time with friends, family, and having fun.
19. We’re sensing a theme when it comes to Travis’ guilty pleasure TV choices.
He described the old show, Gossip Girl, as “amazing” on his podcast, New Heights. He explained it was a dramatic, New York-based high school show where everyone was constantly gossiping and 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 sharing more about the physical challenges of playing football.
He’s faced a constant stream of setbacks since the start of his career, beginning with a knee injury during what would have been his first season. That injury required surgery, and he’s since undergone nine more, totaling ten procedures 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.
She heard through mutual connections that Travis wanted to meet her, so she reached out to him.
She really laid it all out for me, explained everything that happened, and even said I was lucky she contacted me! It was amazing to hear her perspective and understand how things unfolded.
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 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 led the team to adopt the Beastie Boys’ song of the same name as their touchdown celebration song at every home game 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 overstate his impact. Kelce brings a contagious energy, passion, and positive attitude that lifts everyone around him. He’s well-liked by the entire team and consistently improves the mood, focus, and overall performance while still making 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—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 wonder if Travis would be as successful as Tony – and how let down everyone would be if he wasn’t – Travis claimed he didn’t pay any attention to the talk.
I’m my own harshest critic,” he explained to Complex. “I’m aiming for a record-breaking season – I want to be the most productive tight end statistically that’s ever played the game.”
In 2024, Travis became the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-time leader in receptions, breaking Tony’s record with his 917th catch.
Travis recently reflected on how things often come back around, sharing on the New Heights podcast that it’s amazing to be leading the Kansas City Chiefs – a team with roots going back to the 1960s and still performing at its best. He attributes much of their success to the team’s long history and specifically mentioned Tony Gonzalez, who has been a significant influence and mentor to him, expressing his strong admiration 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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2025-12-26 20:24