Travis Kelce Spills His Grit: Why He's Not Hanging Up His Cleats Despite Super Bowl Loss

Travis Kelce is opening up the playbook on his decision to keep playing football.

As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t contain my excitement when the news broke that our star tight end was coming back to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2025 season. Rumors were swirling about his potential retirement, but now, he’s spilling the beans on what led to this monumental decision.

In simpler terms, he expressed to his brother Jason Kelce during their New Heights podcast on March 5th that he passionately enjoys playing football. He feels confident that he can continue to excel at the game, perhaps even more so than he did the previous season.

Although they had a remarkable 15-2 record throughout the recent season, the Chiefs unfortunately fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, thus failing to achieve a groundbreaking three consecutive championships. This outcome sparked considerable criticism towards Travis’ performances throughout the season.

He acknowledged that his performance wasn’t up to his usual standard, stating, “I often fell short of their expectations, providing less support than I should have. If we examine my history and previous performances, it becomes evident.

Instead of telling his recently retired brother, who used to play for the Eagles in the NFL, that he’s “completely thriving” during his retirement, Jason’s accomplishments away from football didn’t sway his choice on this matter.

To be honest, I find myself eagerly ready to hit the ground running again, determined to revise the storyline following the disappointments of the previous season. After all, life’s about second chances, right?

Travis expressed affection for numerous individuals within the building, stating, “There are so many people here whom I hold dear.” He also mentioned that he had planned to return for the next season, even though he was going through a difficult time after the Chiefs’ loss in the Super Bowl.

He clarified that he intends to continue pursuing his dreams and working towards them. There was never a moment of hesitation or doubt. Even when things were difficult last year physically, or after the Super Bowl, there was always a driving force within him pushing him to keep going. Once he felt that desire strongly enough, he took action immediately.

Personally speaking, the primary reason I chose to come back was the sting of losing the Super Bowl. Retiring with a championship ring would’ve undeniably been an amazing exit, but deep down, I knew that passion for the game and the thrill it brings would still be there.

He mentioned that he believes he should put in extra effort and concentration when working alongside those individuals in the building. During that specific game, however, he admitted he wasn’t performing optimally.

To clarify, Travis confessed that the primary reason he decided to come back was because of losing the Super Bowl. He added that retiring after a victory would have been quite an impressive exit, but he believes he would still harbor a deep affection for the sport and its emotions.

He mentioned that he believes he should put in extra effort and focus when entering that building with his teammates. In that particular game, however, he admitted he wasn’t performing optimally, he simply wasn’t at his peak performance level.

Honestly, I can’t help but feel that I’m truly in my element when I’m out there, giving it my all for the genuine love of the game. And that’s precisely how I feel about continuing to play – maybe even beyond this upcoming season.

Travis concluded our talk by saying, “Kansas City, we’re set to continue for at least another year,” he added. “I can’t promise this will be the final season, but I still hold a deep affection for Kansas City and the Chiefs organization, so I have one more contracted year left and I plan to give you my all.

Keep reading for more on the football star ahead of his next season…

Although Travis Kelce might always have a connection with Kansas City, Missouri, his roots are in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he spent his childhood years.

Instead of stating his alma mater, University of Cincinnati, the man proudly proclaims his hometown during live sports broadcasts, particularly during player introductions.

Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums.

In 2019, Travis shared his feelings when he and his brother Jason Kelce were inducted into the Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame. Although he highly values his time at the University of Cincinnati, he admitted that there was a period in his life there that wasn’t simple for him. It was challenging. He lost his scholarship and made some poor decisions. Many people in this room probably know someone from Heights who has also made questionable choices. To all my friends, I was the one who often made those questionable choices.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, let me tell you, the allure of this high ground isn’t merely personal to me, but extends to each and every soul residing here. The vibrancy and diversity of this place is truly remarkable, stirring an unspoken connection within me. Every action I take is a testament to this city, a symbol of its spirit. Admittedly, it may sound trite, yet allow me to assure you, each time you witness me celebrating in the end zone, know that it’s a heartfelt tribute to Cleveland Heights – for you, my fellow resident, right there on the field.

2. About that revoked scholarship…

Following their unbeaten 2009 season, which culminated in a Big East championship, Travis was found to have used marijuana before the 2010 Sugar Bowl. This result came about due to excessive celebration on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans.

Beyond just sitting out the bowl game, he was banned from playing in the 2010 season by the NCAA, causing him to lose his scholarship. With no place to stay, he moved in with his brother Jason (specifically, into his brother’s bedroom within their shared house with teammates), and began working as a telemarketer, asking people about their opinions on the Affordable Care Act whenever they picked up the phone.

They did, and Travis could not wait to get back on the field.

As an ardent sports enthusiast, I dabbled in hockey, baseball, and basketball before eventually taking on football. In high school, I was the quarterback, but my journey wasn’t straightforward. I was a two-star QB prospect for Cincinnati, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I found myself suspended from the team. As part of my reinstatement conditions, I made the switch to tight end.

In Travis’ own words to Arrowhead Pride after being drafted by the Chiefs in 2013, “At that moment, we had an exceptional quarterback, Zach Collaros, but we required assistance in both the running and passing games. So I approached Coach Butch Jones, who was my coach then, and he suggested we needed a tight end. Given my abilities, athleticism, and direction, it all seemed to fit perfectly for me.

In 2017, when speaking with GQ and reflecting on his not-so-proud moment, he expressed it as, “People have always considered me more of a tight end rather than a wide receiver in my life.

4. As a devoted follower, I recall the house on 127 West Nixon Street, where I once shared living quarters with Travis, Jason, and some other Bearcats, as the backdrop for many boisterous evenings filled with camaraderie and beer.

Tom DeTemple, a college friend and teammate, recalled to the New York Times before the 2024 Super Bowl that the brothers were fond of spending long hours on their Nintendo 64 console. He added that they’d often mix gaming with impromptu drinking games, showcasing an impressive skillset in this unconventional pastime.

5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat.

He expressed to reporters before the 2023 Super Bowl, “Everything revolves around Cincinnati for me.” This was a game the Chiefs earned their spot in by overpowering the Bengals during the AFC Championship Game. He’s always been incredibly proud of his roots at the University of Cincinnati, and finally managed to graduate. He does his best to give back whenever he can, often returning to the university when possible. The players he played with and the people he met there hold a special place in his heart, and he misses being around them. Throughout the highs and lows of life, they’ve always supported him.

Even in the face of adversity from the NCAA, I found solace and motivation in the unwavering faith shown by my players, coaches, and staff who were part of the university during those challenging times. Their belief in my ability to transform our situation and better myself was a powerful driving force for me.

6 years after graduating from college to join the draft, Travis finally received his degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022—however, he didn’t collect his diploma until April 2024, during a surprise commencement ceremony held at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena. This event coincided with the taping of a live episode of New Heights.

As the graduate walked toward the dean for his congratulatory handshake, he was already clutching a beer can in his hand. Moments later, he downed the beer.

And Travis was going to graduate in 2022 but he missed his flight.

7. Due to some problems outside of his football career, Travis was selected as the fifth tight end in the 2013 NFL Draft, picked first in the third round by the Chiefs. After this, coach Andy Reid, who had previously worked with Jason in Philadelphia, asked the older Kelce brother to endorse Travis.

Andy and Travis have three Super Bowl rings to show for Jason’s endorsement.

8. For many years, Travis would play “Burn On” by Randy Newman as his pre-game tune, although the type of music he gets hyped up to may have evolved since then.

Speaking on the NBC Sports podcast “PFT Live” in 2017, he expressed that as a child raised on the east side of Cleveland, this particular song takes me back to memories of family and contemplating my current life situation, appreciative of how far I’ve come.

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.

Although they’ve left with Kelce, who might appear as “Kel-see” at first glance, its correct pronunciation is more akin to “else.

Travis’ teammate Chris Jones dropped a surprising statement about his situation on Inside the NFL in January, saying “Isn’t that crazy, right?” The brothers later discussed this with their father Ed Kelce on their New Heights podcast, and they agreed that it was indeed unusual.

Jason wondered aloud, “Why on earth did you suddenly decide to change your name, and now we are known as Kel-see? I mean, we’d been using our original names for the first 24 years – or 27 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. The jersey number 87 that Travis has consistently worn during his NFL career is a salute to Jason, who was born in the year 1987.

In an interview prior to the 2023 Super Bowl where his Chiefs faced off against Jason’s Eagles, Travis put it this way: “The Kelce legacy, with two brothers playing in the NFL, can be traced back to 1987 – that’s when this towering figure was born.

11. For many years, Travis’ foundation, along with Running, has been a significant donor to Operation Breakthrough, a charitable learning center in Kansas City that Travis has collaborated with since his initial visit in 2015 when he read “The Cat in the Hat” to the children there.

Yes, reader, he wore the hat.

Afterward, Travis decided to put money into the Smart Lab initiative and purchased the adjacent garage, a previous muffler shop, for further expansion. This allowed them to establish the Ignition Lab, where young scholars transformed old automobiles destined for the scrapyard into functioning electric vehicles.

12. Travis and Jason affectionately refer to their listeners as “92% club members,” a nod to a past comment by Jason, suggesting that a popular play called a quarterback sneak was successful approximately 92% of the time in situations where just one yard is needed to score a touchdown.

Apparently, fans have humorously dubbed themselves as “The 92 Percenters,” a term that seems to be their special recognition or symbol, much like an unspoken code, but expressed through language, as described on the podcast’s website.

Who were the Kelce brothers to argue with that?

13. Travis is accompanied by three trainers – Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill, and Laurence Justin Ng – who travel with him most of the time, as reported by The Athletic. This is to make sure that he stays in peak physical condition for football throughout the entire year.

Alex, who happens to be a physical therapist too, remembered how Travis had expressed his desire for an evening jog, following a busy schedule at the Paris Fashion Week and missing his workout routine on that particular day.

At the stroke of midnight, I find myself dashing across the illuminated bridges spanning the river, as my trainer instructs. Regardless of location, he manages to carve out the necessary time to accomplish his tasks, making him an unstoppable force in my eyes.

14. Kumar Ferguson, who has been friends with Travis since the fourth grade in Cleveland Heights, serves as his private cook.

In 2016, while he was pursuing his passion for cooking as an amateur, he found himself behind the wheel of a truck. That’s when Travis phoned him with an intriguing offer.

In 2023, Kumar expressed to Vanity Fair, “He said something like, ‘Hey buddy, I want to intensify my diet commitment,'” to which I replied, “Wow, let’s give it a shot. A few days after that, I found myself in Kansas City.

He has taken care of a wide range of tasks, such as filling up Travis’ refrigerator and providing balanced meals at the Chiefs’ training center.

15. Travis has been scrutinizing his facial hair closely this year, so he shared on New Heights that he trimmed his off-season beard and retained the mustache in 2023 as a tribute to the walrus-like appearance preferred by Andy Reid, which he plans to replicate in 2024.

16. In April 2024, Travis secured a two-year contract worth $34.25 million, marking the first instance in his career that he was 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 chat with Vanity Fair in 2023, Travis playfully remarked, “My supervisors and representatives often remind me of my underpayment. Whenever I bring up the topic of higher compensation, they simply suggest, ‘Perhaps you should approach the Chiefs about it.’

However, as other financial opportunities became available to him, he found himself prioritizing the overall atmosphere over the actual salary.

He clarified, “The idea of a free market seems exciting, but it only feels that way until you find yourself not coming out on top. I enjoy triumphing, I appreciate my current circumstances.

Admittedly, witnessing other players receive substantial earnings can give you a slight pang, making you wonder if you’re not getting a fair share. I’m not sure if I would push harder for more if I believed it would yield what they call my worth. However, I do enjoy being at that place every day.

17. Since his childhood in Cleveland Heights, Travis has shown a keen interest in fashion, with his high school resembling a daily fashion show, as he shared with Vanity Fair in the year 2023.

Due to his preference for a well-organized space, he transformed the room into a walk-in wardrobe, accommodating his high-end clothing collection and over 300 pairs of sneakers, including a set of size-13 Nike Air Mags that he splurged on during his initial professional year’s salary, despite them being slightly too small.

Previously, before there were numerous sneaker applications, as he clarified to the Wall Street Journal, he would simply purchase the shoe size that was available for the model he desired.

Although Nike gear is his preferred choice (not only due to their sponsorship), he has a soft spot for Chuck Taylors as well, as they bring back memories of the fictional baseball star 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 mentioned in a June statement that it’s common knowledge he enjoys having a few beers occasionally. He finds it thrilling, he added, to be the owner of Garage Beer and deeply involved in crafting top-quality light beer. For him and Jason, there’s nothing more unifying than a chilled beer, and that essence – friends, family, and fun – is what beer symbolizes for them.

19. We’re sensing a theme when it comes to Travis’ guilty pleasure TV choices.

In the past, it was known as “Gossip Girl”: “Let me tell you, it’s fantastic,” he expressed on “New Heights”. It’s essentially a TV series set in New York City schools, filled with plenty of drama and almost everyone engaging in gossip and backbiting.

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 imposes on the body.

However, from the very beginning, he has faced numerous setbacks, starting with a microfracture in his knee during his rookie season which led to the first of the ten surgeries he underwent throughout his career.

In the realm of sharing personal stories, I found myself recounting an episode on “New Heights” about my unsuccessful endeavor to establish a friendship with Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour stop in Kansas City. I attempted to present her with a friendship bracelet adorned with my contact details, hoping it might spark a connection.

After learning from reliable sources within her circle of friends or associates that Travis wished to meet with her, she reached out to him directly.

He shared with WSJ. Magazine that she clearly explained the situation to him and fortunately, managed to contact him.

22. For as long as he can remember, Travis has had a fondness for French toast, which he loves to have piled high with whipped cream and drizzled with 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 exclaiming, “Good grief!” from the movie ‘Tommy Boy’.

He informed The Wall Street Journal Magazine about how he shared his fondness for the comedic works of Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell with his girlfriend. Essentially, he made it clear to her that this was his favorite kind of humor. In other words, he told her: “This is my thing, I need to introduce this to you.

24. Following their victory against the Bengals in the AFC Championship in 2019, Travis enthusiastically declared “You’ve got to fight for your right to party!” This inspired the Chiefs to play the Beastie Boys song with the same title after every touchdown scored at Arrowhead Stadium following each home game.

In 2020, Brett Veach of the Chiefs stated to ESPN that Travis Kelce is like a multiplier of energy, which is tough to measure exactly how significant this is. He possesses a unique blend of character, charm, and enthusiasm that draws people in. Within our team, everyone seems to be friends with Travis Kelce. He not only boosts the spirits and concentration of others, but also their attention. In the end, he remains a source of enjoyment.

However, it was acknowledged that the lively host who introduced the tune into their world 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 favorite Taylor Swift songs, by May 2024, Travis mentioned that he particularly enjoys “Blank Space”, “The Alchemy”, and “So High School”.

Back in September, I inquired about it, but his response shifted to something quite intriguing: “Each and every one of them is my absolute favorite!

26. Travis was compared to the renowned tight end of the Chiefs, Tony Gonzalez, who hung up his cleats in 2013 following a 17-year career in the league, at an early stage.

In 2015, as discussions swirled about whether he could indeed surpass Tony’s accomplishments and the potential letdown if he fell short, Travis chose to ignore the commotion.

He expressed to Complex, “No one sets higher standards for me than I do. My goal is to achieve the most statistically impressive season any tight end has seen in the history of the game.

On September 29th, Travis outdid Tony to claim the record for most receptions in Kansas City Chiefs history with his 917th catch.

Travis remarked on New Heights, “It’s amazing how things often return to where they started.” Being at the pinnacle of the leaderboard with the Kansas City Chiefs, an organization that dates back to the ’60s and has endured as one of the original teams, is a full-circle moment for me. A large part of their success can be attributed to their storied past and a figure like Tony Gonzalez, who has served as my mentor. I have immense admiration for 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.”

Maybe the thought of having a special person visit has given you an added push to organize things properly.

“He’s getting a little better,” Donna acknowledged. “I think he’s getting some help.”

2025-03-05 16:48

Travis Kelce Spills His Grit: Why He’s Not Hanging Up His Cleats Despite Super Bowl Loss

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