Travis Kelce Decides Against Russell Wilson Playbook as Chiefs TE Confirms Struggles Before Kickoff

When the Chiefs announced their season opener would take place in Brazil, it wasn’t just the novelty of an international game that had everyone buzzing. For Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, prepping for this landmark showdown against the Chargers meant adapting his routine in ways that break from what some might expect. Kelce’s excited for the game, but he won’t be following in anyone’s footsteps, not even a Super Bowl champ like Russell Wilson.

On the latest edition of the New Heights podcast, Jason Kelce tried to share a pointer for the Chiefs’ first international game of the season. “Dude, get your Russell Wilson on, get your start doing high knees in the aisle, you know, make sure you’re moving around.” Jason pointed out Russell Wilson’s well-documented ritual of staying physically active and doing exercises during flights to maintain readiness. During an international flight to London for the Broncos’ matchup against the Jaguars, Wilson had worked on his legs for four hours to be in prime shape. But that kind of severe, serious workout doesn’t appeal to Travis.

“I don’t know if I’ll be doing that,” Travis Kelce responded. “But I got my Nintendo Switch 2, and I’m going to be Mario golfing.” Instead of channeling Wilson’s rigorous in-flight activity, Kelce prefers a more laid-back approach, focusing on unwinding and light entertainment during travel. While Wilson’s playbook off the field emphasizes physical exertion to keep sharp even in transit, Kelce favors keeping things low-key, perhaps prioritizing rest and mental focus over the physical grind.

If you think about how the Chiefs previously handled international travel, this move (or no-move) speaks volumes. Their last international game, the 2023 matchup against the Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, was rich in both challenges and lessons. The Chiefs had to weather a long-haul flight with multiple time zone shifts, and still managed to carve out a 21-14 victory over Miami. Their preparation had leaned heavily on managing the physical toll of the travel. As HC Andy Reid had put it, “It’s a different time zone by quite a few hours, so you’ve got to make sure that you handle that part and get some rest on the plane. So we take everything into consideration, from hydration on. And then how we practice once we get there.” And Travis seems to be following that same tried and tested Reid blueprint.

That Frankfurt game tested the Chiefs’ adaptability and demonstrated how crucial pre-game routines and recovery strategies are for success overseas. It also shows the limits of universal approaches; what works for one player or one trip may not fit another’s regimen. The journey where Wilson worked out for 4 hours was an 8-hour flight. But the one the Chiefs will undertake now is notably a 12-hour-long ordeal. And Travis Kelce is already bracing for that challenge.

Travis Kelce’s time zone and travel struggles for the Brazil game

As significant as the departure from Wilson’s playbook is, Travis Kelce’s candid admission about travel challenges for the game brings another layer of insight. “We’re only going two time zones away, but we’re travelling half a day,” Kelce explained. “Typically you would go to London and time it up to where you get in London or you get overseas in Europe and you have a whole day in front of you. So you can sleep on the plane.”

Unlike Europe or London trips, where the team gets time to acclimate fully, the Chiefs’ Brazilian itinerary condenses the travel and preparation window. The two-hour drive from the team hotel to the stadium adds a hurdle, evoking memories of extended college football road trips. Kelce detailed the juggling act involved in maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and aligning peak athleticism with game time. “It’s a whole thing right now of trying to get there and get acclimated without losing the sleep schedule, keeping you in tune with, you know, just the times you’re waking up and the times you’ll be at your peak athleticism throughout the day. So it’s a bit of juggling that.”

Though Kelce has accepted the schedule, “We were dealt a hand and you know, we got to play it and it is what it is.” Still, he is excited about the travel and the international game. The Chiefs didn’t get an international matchup last season, and Kelce is wondering what the Brazil crowds will be like. “It is going to be so much fun, man. And the international games are always a f—— blast getting to see new fans and how they react to big plays and just how they show up to the game. How they act during the game, whether I’m going to hear chants and stuff.”

The implications of this Brazil game will be significant. How well they adjust to the travel conditions could directly impact performance. But on the bright side, the Chiefs, so far, have a 3-0 record for their international games. It’ll be interesting to note if they can add a fourth victory feather to that international cap. The season is almost upon us, and we can hardly wait for the battles to begin. Kelce will be counting down with Mario Golf. What about you?