Recently, the NFL took to Instagram and shared pictures of the biggest football stars of its league, but with a twist. For this one post, we were sent into nostalgia as pictures showcased our favorite players from their high school days. The NFL has been spotlighting past-to-present photos of superstars in the offseason, showcasing how far athletes have come both on and off the field. And two people who caught the eye of the fans were the famous Kansas City Chiefs bromance of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes.

Patrick Mahomes’ throwback picture gave off the vibe of a quietly confident high schooler with an unchanged, delightful smile, and Kelce’s photos held a contrast to Mahomes. But Kelce’s youthful snapshot was a true ode to humble beginnings. It’s a rare reminder that the man now known for touchdown dances, podcast banter, and GQ-level style once rocked a braces-and-buzzcut combo that would’ve fit right into a seventh-grade yearbook spread.

However, the NFL did not seem to get Travis Kelce’s photos right. But Travis, never one to let a funny moment slide, playfully called them out in the comments. While highlighting that his picture wasn’t from high school; instead, it was from middle school, Kelce commented, “Lmao this is as me in middle school.”  Kelce corrected, sprinkling just enough sass to make fans burst out laughing.

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While the picture of Mahomes had a circle of confidence to it, the photo in question showed a younger Travis with a buzzcut and braces, an unmistakable hallmark of awkward adolescent years we all wish stayed buried in old yearbooks. And Kelce owning it just made fans love him even more.

But with the new season approaching, fans have surrounded Travis Kelce with questions regarding his fitness as well. Whether it’s through correcting the NFL over a mislabeled photo or laughing at his younger self’s middle school braces era, Kelce shows that he’s not just secure in who he is now; he’s perfectly fine with showing where he came from, too. And the fans love his brace era.

Fans react to Travis Kelce’s middle school image as the TE’s weight cut gets exposed

Within moments of the post being officially made by the NFL, fans took no time in finding Kelce’s photos and left some hilarious reactions on them. One fan even joked, “Middle school Kelce looks like he’s about to ask the lunch lady for extra tater tots,” while another wrote, “He really went from braces to baddie.” Mahomes looked fresh-faced but closer to high school age, which is why he wasn’t trolled. Kelce, on the other hand, looked like he hadn’t even hit his growth spurt yet, making it easy for the fans to start an onslaught. But seeing the Chiefs’ star TE himself getting in on the joke, fans had more fun than they thought they would.

But beyond the laughs and comments, the timing of this post adds an interesting layer to the current Travis Kelce conversation. While the fans were busy reacting to his throwback, a different narrative has been brewing around Kelce’s physical condition this offseason. The Chiefs’ tight end skipped voluntary workouts and then later appeared in candid shots. Fans claimed during the mini-camp that Kelce looked “thinner” than usual, and some began speculating whether Kelce had dropped weight, maybe even up to 25 pounds.

The news took speed when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler talked about Kelce’s mentality for the new season and how he plans on returning. But his claims were a little far from being accurate, and Travis Kelce himself ended the conversation. Kelce revealed that he never told anyone that he had lost 25 pounds, but he did admit he has lost some weight since the season ended last year. He said, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet, guys, all right? I’m down some weight from the end of the season last year… This year, I got some time to really focus on some form running.”

Kelce clearly addressed the speculation with a dose of his trademark humor. He’s not denying a slight weight reduction but firmly pushing back on the idea of a major 25-pound cut. The new season isn’t so far away now, and the way it seems, both Kelce and the Chiefs are preparing the best way they can to honor the final year of their contract together. His charismatic humor and unbreakable mentality are back on the pitch. Now with action ahead, we can hope Travis Kelce brings his most dangerous self back.