In just a year, Travis Kelce saw his net worth rise by almost doubled. And, of course, that’s not just courtesy of his NFL career. Entering his 13th year, the tight end flaunts a cool $111 million from his Kansas City Chiefs days. But let’s not forget the additional $80 million that lucrative deals and smart business decisions have given him. We’re talking, in Kelce’s manager Aaron Eanes’ words, a “carefully manicured business plan” to give the player a “world-famous athlete-slash-celebrity” status. But might that be hindering his on-field antics? Let’s hear what head coach Andy Reid had to say about that.

“I think these kids have been raised with this.” Andy Reid told former NFL head coach Mike Tice on The Coach’s Cut when asked about his players’ business ventures and distractions. “It’s a different generation than when you played or I played. It’s a different world. You kind of grow with them with it. And they handle it easy. It’s something to kind of watch and see how they go about their business. They still go out and work their tail off. You appreciate that.

“You appreciate the leadership (of) the guys maybe doing it the most. Chris, Travis, Patrick, they have a lot of opportunities to do things off the field, but they handle it, and I think the other guys see that, that football’s first.”

But are business ventures really a novelty that current players have discovered? Not really. As opposed to what Reid said about it being a different world from it was in their time, NFL players’ entrepreneurial knack actually exists since the league’s inception. Records dating back to the 1960s—after the 1958 Championship Game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants skyrocketed the sport’s popularity—show that almost every player back then would look for multiple sources of income in the offseason.

Just take future Hall of Famer head coach and football guard Chuck Noll, for example. He used to work as a salesman for the Trojan Freight Lines. Then there was HoF defensive end Willie Davis, who worked as a teacher, and 1960 draft’s first-round pick and linebacker Jim Houston, who ran his own insurance and financial planning company. However, unlike today, where players take up ventures for post-retirement financial security, a second source of income in the early days was a necessity, with salaries as low as $5,000.

Having said that, now let’s look at the empire Travis Kelce has built. The Super Bowl-winning tight end reportedly has deals with Dick’s Sporting Goods, McDonald’s, LG, Papa John’s, Nike, Old Spice, State Farm, Pfizer, Wingstop, Zen Water and Uncrustables, among others, worth $5 million as per Forbes last year. What’s more, the player has reportedly used that money to invest in brands like Cholula (a hot sauce business that later sold for a staggering $800 million in 2020), INDOCHINO (men’s fashion), Hydrow (rowing machine business), ThePlayersTV (media network), and RealTruck (truck accessories).

Apart from this, the 36-year-old also has a clothing brand, Tru Colors, co-owns Club Car Wash, and is the “Chief of Performance” for Hilo Nutrition. Kelce also founded a music festival, Kelce Jam, and signed a three-year podcast deal with Amazon worth $100 million just last year, alongside his brother.

As for the Chiefs, they have also been quite well-represented in commercials. In fact, even Reid has evolved for his players, stopping at nothing from joining the fun.

The head coach joined hands with State Farm and gets to act alongside Mahomes on multiple occasions. Who can forget the campaign where Reid confessed to State Farm’s Jake that he liked drawing fake mustaches on his players’ faces, and the QB walks in and shows how he got trapped again? Or, the one where Reid and Mahomes are sitting in a fast food restaurant and the latter saves his “nuggies” from his coach?

But when it comes to the job, the main thing remains the main thing.

“I don’t want to stand up here and sound like a movie star because I’m not very good at that,” Reid said after his commercials became a talking point in pressers. “But I appreciate people enjoying nuggies.”

You can see how it works every week. For instance, Kelce might spend weekdays behind a microphone, but come Sunday, he’s still one of the best tight ends in football. Franchise quarterback, Mahomes, handles national ads, interview tours, manages his wide array of businesses, and still picks defenses apart like it’s backyard ball.

For Reid, that’s proof enough that discipline and personality can coexist.

And no Chief sits closer to that spotlight than Travis Kelce. The NFL’s most media-savvy player has pulled off yet another crossover that exploded across social media quite literally.

Travis Kelce’s major off-field moment

The Kelce brothers have been on a roll since they debuted their New Heights podcast. The show has already featured stars like NFL legend Brad Pitt, WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, and, of course, Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift. But they added one more name to their guest list. On Tuesday, October 14, Jason Kelce teased about the “6’1 action from Toronto, Canada, New York Times ranks him as the fourth greatest actor of the 21st Century, but he’s No. 1 in your heart.” With that, the Kelce brothers announced that Hollywood star Keanu Reeves will join their podcast.

That short clip has gathered 1.6 million likes since then. The episode 160, titled, “Every Chief’s Gotta Eat, NFL Meatheads & Keanu Reeves on Comedy Dangers, Life Advice & More” has also gathered 355K views. Snagging Reeves was another power move. The teaser showed Reeves joking about the Chiefs and the upcoming Super Bowl. “I think the Chiefs are on a roll right now, big guy,” Travis replied with a grin. Keanu shot back with a fun celebration and joined the hype with a long “Yeeeeaah.”

The full episode had everything. Football talk, humor, and a wild story about Keanu’s injury on set. It’s this mix – sport culture meets Hollywood – that keeps New Heights thriving. And coach Reid? He’s totally fine with it. As long as Kelce’s tape still looks like Kelce’s tape, the podcast mics can stay on. Fame’s part of the job now. But under Reid, football will continue to be the priority.