Jason Kelce‘s past of being labeled a leader both on and off the field again landed him in the news with his recent recall by a coach at his former high school. The article states how older Kelce not only led younger brother Travis. But also helped him through one of the toughest periods of his early career.

Mike Jones, a retired head coach at Cleveland Heights High School Football and now age 60, remembered one guideline Jason appeared to have lived by during his high school years: “keep Travis in line.” Jones explained that Jason, extremely favored as a potential Pro Hall of Fame player, kept his little brother in line.

When Travis lost his scholarship, Jason opened the door of his bedroom, adding a second bed so that his brother would be able to stay with him. In addition to providing housing, he begged Cincinnati coaches to provide Travis with another chance. And this later had him return to the team the following year.

Travis Kelce’s future was cloudy in the summer of 2010. He ought to have been on the practice field with the Bearcats. But he was instead working for an $8-an-hour telemarketing firm. Jason’s assistance at that moment was incredibly beneficial. By keeping Travis in check and sticking up for his brother, Jason was able to place his brother back on track academically and on the field.

The Kelce brothers grew up in a hyper-competitive and sports-loving family. They utilized sections of their home as makeshift wrestling rings and warmed up for football by throwing football passes across the roof with Dad Ed. Jason, as he was the older one and used to lead their sporting activities and was also the first one to bring local coaches into the family.

”This guy, Jason, introduced himself as a freshman to me,” said freshman football coach Larry Hoon of Kelce. “Hello, my name is Jason Kelce. You can call me I.R. Because I’m always injured.”

His confidence and sense of humor caught coaches and teammates off guard. However, things were not super smooth for the Chiefs’ tight end.

Travis Kelce on tough times

Although Travis Kelce has enjoyed a golden NFL career, it did not get off to exactly that kind of start. It began in 2010 when the upstart star was suspended from the University of Cincinnati football team for testing positive for marijuana. The suspension prevented him from playing and served as a wake-up call. Kelce then pursued therapy and reformatted his life.

In retrospect, Travis reported on a previous New Heights show, “The [Dallas] Cowboys, they were kind of pressing me about having this red flag of missing a year.” It later altered his career trajectory in football from quarterback to tight end, the position he now holds.

”What [the suspension] did was it really kicked me into the tight end room,” Kelce told on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast. “I was still playing QB then. It was like, ‘Alright, you can come walk on the team. But we don’t need a quarterback. You can just be an athlete on scout team for a year. We’ll figure it out.'”

It was here that Kelce’s NFL success started. In Kansas City… He became one of history’s greats at the tight end spot. Just goes to show how setbacks along the way can often be the foundation to triumph in the end.