Who is Travis Kelce?

Travis Kelce plays the position of a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. Drafted in 2013, he was selected in the third round of the NFL draft (63 overall). He assisted the Chiefs in winning the Super Bowl title in 2020 and has also been part of the team when they claimed the NFL Super Bowl title in 2023.

Travis Kelce's performance as a TE has allowed him to win many achievements including being drafted into the 2010 NFL All-Decade team. Not only that, he also holds the 3-time First-Time All-Pro player title and NFL record for the most consecutive seasons.

 Travis Kelce's early life and family background

Born in Westlake, Ohio on October 5, 1989, Travis is the youngest of the Kelce brothers born to Ed and Donna Kelce. Ed was a sales representative in the steel industry with a military and coast guard background. Mother Donna served as a banker for over 30 years, working for MasterCard and other Cleveland-based banks. Travis' brother Jason also plays in the NFL as the center for the Philadelphia Eagles. And 2023's Super Bowl LVII showdown saw the two brothers go head-to-head marking the first time in league history that brothers have faced each other in the title game.

Travis went to school at Cleveland Heights High in his hometown, becoming a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. Even though Kelce is arguably the best tight end in the NFL right now, he excelled as a quarterback in high school. As the Tigers quarterback, he earned letters in all three years and won the All-Lake Erie Honors with 2,539 total offensive yards in his senior year.

The Kelce brothers both attended the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football program. However, Travis had to face suspicion as he failed a drug test by testing positive for marijuana. Jason was instrumental in getting him back on the football team. During his one-year suspension, Travis Kelce worked a telemarketing job, collecting survey samples for Obama Care.

In 2011 when he was back with the team, Travis Kelce proved to be an excellent TE—recording 13 catches, 2 TDs, and totaling 150 yards. He is also a two-time world champion for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League. A proven weapon for Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce is quickly rising the ranks in the records and history books.

Besides, being prolific on the gridiron, Travis also hosts the 'New Heights' podcast along with his brother and Philadelphia Eagles center, Jason Kelce. Let's take a deep dive into the past and present of Kansas City's dynamic and charismatic tight end.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have been one of the hottest couples in the NFL. While the duo were spotted together on many occasions, the news wasn't confirmed by Taylor Swift until December 2023. In a rather interesting manner, the TE was first spotted by fans at Swift's concert at Arrowhead Stadium in July 2023. At this show, Travis Kelce tried to hand over a friendship bracelet with his number to the pop singer but wasn't successful in meeting the star.

Fast forward, the singer was seen cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs in September, which ignited the flames of rumors of them dating even more. Again, on October 1, Taylor Swift was spotted cheering for the Red Army and Travis Kelce against the New York Jets. This time she was accompanied by friends, including Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Eventually, in mid-October, the pair was spotted holding hands and also grabbed a pre-show dinner at Nobu in NYC, according to many sources.

On October 22, 2023, Taylor Swift was again captured at the Chiefs game celebrating alongside Patrick Mahomes' wife Brittany Mahomes. Next, their relationship was publicly linked during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, where Travis Kelce was spotted in Argentina alongside Swift's dad, enjoying the concert. There were two highlights of the show: 1) The popstar swapped the lyrics of her song "Karma" to "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me" 2) She was seen running into Kelce's arms after waving to her fans post the show.

In 2023, on November 20, the Chiefs' tight end opened up about his relationship dynamics with Wall Street Journal, in which he revealed a few details of their relationship. More light was shed on this by Taylor Swift after she was named "Person of the Year." She said, "By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple."

One of the recent highlights of their relationship has been the dynamic jacket worn by Taylor Swift to the Chiefs' game against the Dolphins. The singer was spotted in a red puffer jacket with Travis Kelce's number '87' and name 'Kelce' written on it. After the Chiefs' massive win against the Baltimore Ravens, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were also seen sharing a kiss on the ground after a phenomenal performance from the tight end.

Surrounded by cameras and teammates, Swift was spotted wearing a custom tennis bracelet, featuring a diamond chain and three gold charms with the letters "TNT" (Taylor 'n' Travis) in tiny diamonds. This wasn't just any bracelet; it was a meticulously handcrafted piece priced at $6,360, boasting 4.62ctw of lab-grown diamonds and adorned with custom TNT yellow gold "beads" encrusted with dazzling pave diamonds. Many a time, during her presence in the stadium to support Kelce and Chiefs, Taylor Swift has shared the suite with Donna Kelce, Travis Kelce's mom.

Travis Kelce: Net worth, endorsements, investments

Travis Kelce is arguably one of the best tight ends in the NFL realm. According to numerous sources, his net worth is estimated to be approximately $40 million. For a season, he makes over $14 million in the Kansas City Chiefs until 2026, thanks to his $57.25 million contract renewal in 2022. While he could be making more money than this, just like Chiefs' QB Patrick Mahomes, Kelce has taken a slight pay cut to ensure that the team as a whole gets a chance to contend each year.

His first contract in the NFL was worth 3.12 million dollars, with a little over 700,000 dollars, and got his first extension in 2016, valued at $46 million. Apart from his on-field excellence, his off-field charisma has allowed him to amass major endorsement deals. Some of these include big names like Nike, Amazon, L'Homme de Maison, Helzberg Diamonds, and more.

One of the long-established deals of the TE has been with the Midwest grocery chain, Hy Vee. As part of this endorsement, the organization will also be donating $1000 for every touchdown carried out by Travis Kelce. One of the recent partnerships of the younger Kelce brother was with Pfizer. According to sources, he accumulated $20 million from the advertisement shot for the company. As of 2023, his endorsement deals made up to $5 million a year.

Additionally, his investment alongside Patrick Mahomes, Ryan Reynolds, and Rob McElhenney secured a 24% stake in the F1 team in June 2023 (approx. $218 million). He also has a YouTube channel and a podcast in collaboration with his brother Jason Kelce. According to Networthroyals, just by running ads, he earns somewhere between $15.6k and $250.3k each month.

Besides, Travis Kelce has a couple of business ventures. These dominantly include

• PlayersTV


• Hydrow


• Kodiak


• Cholula Hot Sauce


• INDOCHINO


• Founder of Hilo Gummies


• A shop named Tru Kolors


• Personal cereal brand named Kelce Krunch.

Travis Kelce’s mom

Donna Kelce has been a sports enthusiast since a young age. She credits her stepmom Mary for the same as she allowed Donna and her brother Don to pursue their dreams. She helped Donna to compete at the Junior Olympics in track and field, which Donna eventually won. Later on, the mom-of-two stepped foot in the banking world as she completed her MBA from Ohio University. Eventually, Donna met Travis and Jason's dad, Ed, at a bar, and the two clicked right away. In the late '70s, the pair got married and had their first son five years later.

Travis Kelce came into their lives in less than two years from Jason Kelce's birth. Donna and Ed were married for roughly 25 years but soon split ways and kept cordial relationships with each other. The proof of the same is visible as the parents attend the games of their sons to showcase support, especially during the big finales like the Super Bowl.

Donna Kelce is an integral part of Travis and Jason Kelce's life. From time to time, she has been spotted at various NFL games cheering for her boys. Her dedication toward her sons is evident when she attended Jason and the Eagles' 2021 wild-game round playoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida and immediately took a flight to Kansas City to root for her younger son Travis Kelce and the Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Another episode that showcases Donna's support for her sons was witnessed during the Super Bowl LVII as she made her way to the field with a Tupperware of her special homemade cookies for both Travis and Jason Kelce. The popularity of these cookies skyrocketed so much since then that Mama Kelce held a charity-centric bake sale in December 2023 during the Philadephia Eagles game against the New York Giants and the Chiefs game against the Las Vegas Raiders at the Arrowhead Stadium.

She also went viral and created an uproar in the NFL world after rocking a split jersey. It consisted of Travis' number and team colors on the front and the left arm and Jason's number and team on the back and the right arm. The apparel got famous enough to be displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Apart from her relationship with her sons, Mama Kelce also shares a special bond with her daughter-in-law and Jason Kelce's wife Kylie Kelce. She calls her the person "on top" of everything, reflecting a nature of faith she has in Kylie.

Besides Kylie, though, Donna also appears to share a nice relationship with her younger son Travis Kelce's girlfriend, Taylor Swift. The two are nowadays often seen together in the suite during the matches of the younger Kelce brother, cheering on him. Recently, after the AFC Championship game ended against the Baltimore Ravens, Swift could even be seen hugging the mother of two as she got emotional post the important win.

Travis Kelce's career timeline

In high school, Travis Kelce played as a QB for the Tigers. In 2008, he joined the Cincinnati Bearcats as a tight end. Following the season, he did not play due to a violation of game rules for failing the drug test. But, he returned to play for the 2011 season, which saw the rise of his capabilities following many accolades in 2012 and 2013. Finally, in 2013, Travis Kelce was selected in the third round of the NFL draft as he signed the deal with the Kansas City Chiefs on June 6, 2013. Since then, the tight end has been with the Chiefs as a vital part of the team.

Travis Kelce's career stats and records

As a Cincinnati Bearcat tight end, Travis Kelce started slow catching only one reception over three yards in 2009. In 2011, after coming back from suspension, Kelce caught 13 passes over 150 yards. However, he peaked during his senior year, receiving 45 times over 722 yards and scoring eight touchdowns, earning first-team All-Conference honors.

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Travis Kelce in 2013 as the 63rd overall pick in the third round. After spending his rookie season on the injury reserve list because of knee surgery, Kelce opened the stat books in 2014. Travis received across 862 and 875 yards in 2014 and 2015. However, since then, Travis has had seven consecutive seasons of 1000-plus receiving yards, an NFL record among tight ends. He also received 1416 yards in the 2020 season, setting the record for the highest receiving yards in a single season for a tight end.

In 2013, the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Travis Kelce in the third round (63rd overall pick). This was the time when Andy Reid was the new coach of the Red Army. During his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, he had known and coached Jason Kelce. Through Jason Kelce, Reid was familiar with the younger Kelce brother. 

In the beginning, he injured his knee and played only on special teams in the Chiefs once in Week 2. His first touchdown was recorded against the Miami Dolphins in the Week 3 game. Since then, the TE has been performing well on the gridiron boasting great numbers. 

As a TE, he contributed 1000+ yards for 7 seasons (2016-2022) consecutively. Also, holds the record for most 1000-yard seasons (7, 2016-2022) and most over 100 reception seasons. In 2023, he became the Kansas City Chiefs all-time leader in receiving yards (10,941), outranking the NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (10,940). Eventually, later that year, he also became the fattest tight end to ever reach 11,000 receiving yards (154 games).

If these numbers weren’t enough, Travis Kelce has played 11 seasons, currently the highest in the Chiefs squad. The TE has 907 catches for 11,328 yards with 77 touchdowns to his name. Additionally, he has been selected for 8-Pro Bowls and has won two Super Bowls.

Travis Kelce's list of awards and honors

• 2x Super Bowl Champion (LIV, LVII)


• 4x First Team All-Pro (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022)


• 3x Second-team All-Pro (2017, 2019, 2021)


• 9x Pro Bowl (2015-2023)


• NFL 2010s All-Decade Team


• First-team All-Big East in college (2012)

Travis also holds the NFL tight end records for most career postseason receptions (133), most 100+ reception seasons (3), and the fewest games to reach 10,000 reaching yards (140). His 19 career playoff touchdown catches are only second to legendary Niners receiver Jerry Rice who has 22 to his name. After the game against the Baltimore Ravens on January 28, 2023, Travis Kelce set a record for career postseason catches, surpassing wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Expensive things owned by Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce boasts numerous collections ranging from shoes to watches and cars. Proudly acknowledging how he spends hours picking his outfit on game day with Wall Street Journal, Travis Kelce admitted that he might own more than 300 pairs of sneakers. The collection consists of the Nike Air Mag "Marty McFly" and the European-exclusive colorway of the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 High 'White'.

Besides these, his watch collection has some impressive pieces like Platinum Rolex Day-Date 228236, Rolex Day-Date 228238, Rolex Submariner, and more. Apart from these, his luxurious lifestyle also hosts a shining car collection. The $300,000 Aston Martin Vanquish is an example of the same. He also owns a GMC Terrain SUV, Mercedes-AMG G63 (estimated $179,000), 2013 Ford F-150, and Land Rover Range Rover is a staple in luxury SUVs.

Also, Travis Kelce owns a customized five-bedroom house over 10,000 sq. ft in Kansas City, Missouri. This was bought in 2019 worth $995,000. Additionally, he has a condo of about 1434 sq. ft to his name in Orlando, Florida worth $350,000. Last year, TMZ and other sources reported that the tight end has brought another property worth $6 million in Kansas City Chiefs over 16-17,000 sq. ft. It includes six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a swimming pool, waterfall, tennis and pickleball court, and a mini golf course to indulge his hobby.

Travis and brother Jason Kelce’s podcast

Jason Kelce, the elder brother of Travis Kelce, is an American NFL center star for the Philadelphia Eagles and co-hosts a podcast with Travis Kelce named "New Heights." It is a pun for the place Travis and Jason Kelce grew up in 'Cleveland Heights' and for the new multimedia venture they initiated. Two years before Travis Kelce was drafted, Jason Kelce made it to the arena of professional football in 2011 as he was selected in the sixth round.

Outside of football, the two Super Bowl champions discuss their career, family, and other insights on their podcast. One can watch and listen to the episodes from the podcast every Wednesday during the NFL season. The season is from September until January, and then the playoffs begin with the Super Bowl ending in February. These episodes are available on Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, the official YouTube channel, and other major operators.

While there is variance in the topics discussed by the Kelce brothers, so is the duration of their podcast. It can range from 50 minutes to over two hours, depending on the topic of discussion. One of the most popular episodes of "New Heights" was the segment in which Travis Kelce talked about Taylor Swift. On July 26, 2023 episode he disclosed how he tried to give a friendship bracelet with his number on it to Taylor Swift.

Since then, Travis Kelce has on many occasions talked about Taylor Swift and her presence in his life. Regarding the podcast, the younger Kelce brother said, "I'm having a blast. It's fun to just do something with my brother weekly."

Travis Kelce on Saturday Night Live

The second Super Bowl ring on Travis' finger brought with it much more recognition and a spotlight. The tight end hosted the late-night NBC variety show, Saturday Night Live on March 4, 2023, to become the 34th athlete to host the show after Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, JJ Watt, and others. And with the perfect combination of athletic bones and funny muscles, Kelce pulled one of the show's most successful episodes of the season.

His monologue had a bang-on impression of his quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a few jokes for his brother, Jason Kelce, who was present in the audience during the live taping. Also present in the audience were his parents, Ed and Donna. The football player filled the episode with incredibly funny sketches like the 'Please Don't Destroy' self-defense sketch and 'The New BF' sketch. Kelce was also accompanied on the Studio 8H stage by musical guest Kelsea Ballerini.

Later in October 2023, Kelce appeared on the show for the second time. This time around, his presence received major applause as the rumors of him having started dating Taylor Swift were making rounds of the football and entertainment world. Before Travis was announced as the host, Pete Davidson along with others could be seen carrying out a skit on the impact Swift has had on the NFL, and how everyone has their eyes set on her presence. Post that, the TE gets called upon to talk about actual football, drawing out a loud cheer and laugh from the audience.

Travis Kelce's iconic beard

Travis started growing a symmetrical beard from his second year in the league, becoming well-known for his facial hair style. Fans yearned to have his beard. However, things took a turn for them when Travis Kelce shaved his iconic beard off for Moustache Monday back in 2021 after winning his first Super Bowl.

A few days later, Kelce even cut the mustache off to flaunt the clean-shaven look. And fans weren't into it at all, petitioning the NFL player to go back to his bearded face. And thankfully, the tight end obliged.

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