Considered one of the greatest tight ends in history,[12][13] Kelce is an eleven-timePro Bowler and a seven-timeAll-Pro, with four first-team and three second-team selections. He holds theNFL records for most consecutive and most overall seasons with 1,000receiving yards by a tight end: seven.[7] He holds the record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 1,416 in 2020, despite playing in only 15 games.[6][14]
During the 2022 season, Kelce became the fifth NFL tight end to reach 10,000 career receiving yards and reached the milestone faster than any tight end in NFL history.[7] Kelce was named to theNFL 2010s All-Decade Team.[15][16] During the 2023 season, he surpassedJerry Rice in career playoff receptions en route to winningSuper Bowl LVIII, his fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons.
Outside of football, Kelce has appeared inadvertisements and onreality andscripted television, including being the namesake of thedating showCatching Kelce onE! and hosting a 2023 episode ofSaturday Night Live. He co-hosts thepodcastNew Heights with his brotherJason, covering topics from football to popular culture. The show was ranked as the 8th most popular podcast in the United States onApple Podcasts in 2024.[17] Kelce's relationship with and subsequent engagement to singer-songwriterTaylor Swift has drawn massive media coverage and stimulated viewership and revenue for his team and the NFL.
Early life
Kelce was born on October 5, 1989, inWestlake, Ohio. His father, Ed Kelce, is a former sales representative in the steel industry, and his mother,Donna, is a former bank executive.[18] Travis's older brother isJason Kelce, who played center for thePhiladelphia Eagles for 13 seasons.[19]
Kelce attendedCleveland Heights High School in his hometown ofCleveland Heights, Ohio, where he playedfootball,basketball, andbaseball.[22] He was a three-year letter winner asquarterback for the Tigers. As a senior in 2007, he ran for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns and threw for 1,523 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His 2,539 yards of total offense garnered him All-Lake Erie League honors.[23][24]
College career
Considered a two-star recruit byRivals.com, Kelce accepted a scholarship offer from theUniversity of Cincinnati over offers fromAkron,Eastern Michigan, andMiami (OH).[25] He joined his brother, Jason Kelce, who was the starting left guard for theBearcats.[26] Afterredshirting in 2008, he appeared in 11 games in 2009, playing at tight end and quarterback out of thewildcat formation. He tallied eight rushes for 47 yards and two touchdowns and had one reception for three yards.[27] He was suspended for the 2010 season after testing positive for marijuana, a violation of team rules.[28][29] Returning for the 2011 season, he played tight end, recording 13 catches totaling 150 yards and two touchdowns.[30] In 2012, his last collegiate season, he set personal season highs in receptions (45), receiving yards (722), yards per receptions (16.0), and receiving touchdowns (8). Kelce earned first-team all-conference honors[31] and in March 2013, was named the College Football Performance Awards Tight End of the Year.[32] Kelce graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree,[33] he received his diploma during an April 2024 podcast event at theFifth Third Arena with his brother Jason.[34]
Kelce was selected by theKansas City Chiefs in the third round (63rd pick overall) of the2013 NFL draft.[38] The Chiefs had hiredAndy Reid as their new head coach during the off-season. Reid was familiar with Kelce, having drafted and coached his brother,Jason Kelce, in 2011 during his time as the head coach of the Eagles.[39][40] Reid believed Kelce to be a first round talent but had reservations due to his suspension in college; Jason spoke with Reid and vouched that Travis would stay out of trouble if drafted.[41] On June 6, 2013, the Chiefs signed Kelce to a four-year, $3.12 million rookie contract that also included a signing bonus of $703,304.[42]
Kelce injured his knee in the preseason. The injury was later diagnosed as a bone bruise. After being limited the first two weeks of the season due to the injury and being inactive the next three games, Kelce was placed on injured reserve on October 12, 2013, after having a microfracture surgery performed on his knee.[43] He only played one snap, on special teams in the Chiefs' Week 2 game against theDallas Cowboys.[44]
During Week 3 against theMiami Dolphins, Kelce recorded his first NFL touchdown on a 20-yard reception from quarterbackAlex Smith.[45] On November 30, he was fined $11,025 for "unsportsmanlike conduct" during a 29–16 loss to theDenver Broncos. Kelce made an inappropriate hand gesture and motion at Broncos linebackerVon Miller. Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid later called this "immature".[46] In the next game against theArizona Cardinals, Kelce had seven receptions for 110 yards for his first NFL game with over 100 receiving yards.[47] In the regular-season finale against theSan Diego Chargers, he had an offensive fumble recovery for a touchdown in the 19–7 victory.[48] Kelce was the Chiefs' leading receiver during the 2014 season, totaling 862 yards off 67 receptions.[49]
Kelce began the 2015 season with his first NFL multiple touchdown game, with six receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–20 victory over theHouston Texans.[50] It was his only 100-plus-yard game, but he had at least one reception in all 16 games,[51] and was ranked a top-five tight end by ESPN.[52] He started all 16 regular season games and recorded 72 catches for 875 yards and five touchdowns, earning his way to his firstPro Bowl.[53][54] The Chiefs finished the regular season with an 11–5 record and made the playoffs.[55] In his first NFL playoff game, Kelce had eight receptions for 128 yards in a 30–0Wild Card Round victory over the Texans.[56] In theDivisional Round against theNew England Patriots, Kelce had six receptions for 23 yards as the Chiefs lost 27–20.[57] He was ranked 91st by his peers on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[58]
On January 29, 2016, Kelce signed a five-year, $46 million contract extension.[59] He was ranked 91st by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[58]
During Week 8 against theIndianapolis Colts, Kelce had seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.[60] In the next game against theJacksonville Jaguars, he was ejected after receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties after arguing with two officials over not having a pass interference penalty called.[61] The second resulted from him sarcastically throwing his towel at field judge Mike Weatherford in a flagging motion due to being upset about the first penalty. He was later fined $24,309 for his outburst.[62] During Week 13 against theAtlanta Falcons, he had eight receptions for 140 yards.[63] In the next game, Kelce recorded 101 receiving yards against theOakland Raiders, his fourth consecutive game topping 100.[64] He joinedJimmy Graham and former Chiefs tight endTony Gonzalez as the only NFL tight ends ever to do so.[65] In a Christmas Day win over the Broncos, Kelce had career bests of 11 receptions for 160 yards and a career-long 80-yard touchdown on a screen pass.[51] He finished the season with career highs in yards (1,125) and receptions (85).[66] His 1,125 receiving yards led the league among tight ends and his 85 receptions were second among tight ends behindDennis Pitta of theBaltimore Ravens. Kelce's 634 yards after the catch also led all NFL tight ends.[67] He was named as a starter in his second career Pro Bowl, held on December 20, 2016.[68] He was also named First-teamAll-Pro.[69] He was ranked 26th by his fellow players, and second among tight ends, on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2017.[70]
The Chiefs finished atop theAFC West with a 12–4 record and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs.[71] In theDivisional Round against thePittsburgh Steelers, Kelce had five receptions for 77 yards in the 18–16 loss.[72]
During Week 2 against the Eagles, Kelce had eight receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown in the 27–20 victory.[73] After just one reception for one yard in Week 3 against theLos Angeles Chargers, Kelce recorded seven receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 against theWashington Redskins followed by eight for 98 in Week 5 against the Texans.[74][75][76] During Week 8, Kelce had seven receptions for 133 yards to passZach Ertz as the NFL's leading tight end in both categories,[77] along with a touchdown. During Week 13 against theNew York Jets, Kelce opened the game with spectacular fashion, scoring two receiving touchdowns on 90 receiving yards in the first 2 minutes and 46 seconds of regulation. He finished the game with 94 receiving yards on four receptions in the 38–31 loss.[78] On December 19, 2017, Kelce was named to his third straight Pro Bowl.[79] Kelce finished the season with a career-high eight receiving touchdowns.[80] He finished second among tight ends with 1,038 receiving yards, only trailing Gronkowski's 1,084 receiving yards.[81] He was ranked 24th by his peers on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2018.[82]
The 10–6 Chiefs[83] entered theWild Card Round of the playoffs against theTennessee Titans, where Kelce finished with four receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown in the 21–22 defeat.[84] He was not able to finish the game as he suffered a concussion in the first half on a hit to his helmet.[85]
In the 2018 season, Kelce benefited from the rise of new quarterbackPatrick Mahomes, who was namedNFL MVP at the end of the season.[86] After being held to a lone reception for six yards in the season opener against the Chargers, he rebounded with seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 2 road victory over the Steelers.[87] In two of the next three games, he was able to reach 100 receiving yards against theSan Francisco 49ers and the Jaguars.[88][89] He added 99 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 9 win over theCleveland Browns, and went into the Week 12 bye with 10 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown inan offensively spectacular 54–51 loss to theLos Angeles Rams. In the Week 13 win over the Raiders, Kelce had career-bests of 12 receptions and 168 yards, including two short touchdowns in the first half.[90] At this point, he was well on his way to an NFL record, but his production tapered off; over the final four weeks, Kelce averaged six receptions for 63.5 yards and had only one touchdown reception.[51] In Week 17, Kelce indeed broke the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season, but 49ers tight endGeorge Kittle passed him to claim the record less than an hour later.[91] Kelce ended the regular season at 10th in the NFL in receptions with 103 and receiving yards with 1,336, and sixth in receiving touchdowns with 10.[92] He was named to the2018 Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro.[93]
The Chiefs finished atop the AFC West with a 12–4 record and earned a first-round bye.[94] In theDivisional Round against the Colts, he had seven receptions for 108 yards in the 31–13 victory.[95] In theAFC Championship against the Patriots, he had three receptions for 23 yards and a receiving touchdown in the 37–31 overtime loss.[96] He was ranked 21st by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2018.[97]
During Week 2 against the Raiders, Kelce caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown of the season as the Chiefs won by a score of 28–10.[98] Despite injuries to Patrick Mahomes and just two touchdowns, at the midpoint of the season Kelce led all tight ends and Chiefs players in receiving yards with 604.[99][100] During Week 11 against the Chargers onMonday Night Football in Mexico, Kelce caught seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown in the 24–17 win.[101] During Week 14 against the Patriots, Kelce caught seven passes for 66 yards and rushed the ball once for a one-yard touchdown during the 23–16 road victory.[102] In the next game against the Broncos, Kelce finished with 11 catches for 142 receiving yards as the Chiefs won 23–3.[103] In the next game against theChicago Bears onSunday Night Football, he caught eight passes for 74 yards and a touchdown in the 26–3 win. During the game, he became the fastest tight end in NFL history to record 500 career receptions.[104]
Kelce finished the 2019 season with 97 receptions for 1,229 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns to go along with his one rushing touchdown.[105] Kelce became the first tight end in NFL history to record four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.[106] He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl for his 2019 season.[107]
In theDivisional Round against the Texans, the Chiefs began the game with a 24–0 deficit. The Chiefs then went on a 51–7 run, including 41 unanswered points, to win 51–31. After a drop on third down on the Chiefs first drive that would have been a first down if it had been caught, Kelce caught 10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns (all in the second quarter) as he helped lead the Chiefs to their second consecutive conference championship game.[108] In theAFC Championship Game against the Titans, Kelce caught three passes for 30 yards during the 35–24 win.[109] InSuper Bowl LIV against theSan Francisco 49ers, Kelce caught six passes for 43 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown and had one carry for two rushing yards during the 31–20 win.[110] He was ranked 18th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2020.[111]
Following the release of long-time Chiefs punterDustin Colquitt in the offseason, Kelce became tied withAnthony Sherman and fellow 2013 drafteeEric Fisher as the team's longest tenured members.[112] On August 14, 2020, Kelce signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension with the Chiefs through the 2025 season.[113] In Week 6, he caught two touchdowns in a 26–17 victory over theBuffalo Bills.[114] In Week 8 against the Jets, Kelce dunked the ball through the goal posts after scoring a touchdown, paying homage to former Chiefs tight endTony Gonzalez. He was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and was fined $12,500.[115] In Week 9, against theCarolina Panthers, he had ten receptions for 159 receiving yards in the 33–31 victory.[116]
In Week 11 against theLas Vegas Raiders onSunday Night Football, Kelce recorded eight catches for 127 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in a 35–31 win.[117]In Week 13 against the Broncos onSunday Night Football, he caught eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown during the 22–16 win.[118] In the following game against the Dolphins, he again posted eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown in a 33–27 victory.[119] In Week 16, Kelce became the first tight end with two 100-catch seasons.[14][6] Kelce caught seven passes, giving him a career-high 105 for the season. Kelce set the single-season yardage record for a tight end with 1,416, toppingGeorge Kittle's 1,377 in 2018.[14][6][120] His yardage ranked second overall in the 2020 NFL season (behindStefon Diggs' 1,535), while his total receptions ranked fifth in the NFL and second among tight ends (behindDarren Waller's 107).[121] He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl and earned First-team All-Pro honors.[122][123]
In theDivisional Round of the playoffs against the Browns, Kelce caught eight passes for 109 yards and a touchdown during the 22–17 win.[124] In theAFC Championship against the Bills, Kelce recorded 13 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns in a 38–24 win to advance toSuper Bowl LV.[125] In the Super Bowl, he caught 10 passes for 133 yards—a record for receiving yards by a tight end in the championship game—but the Chiefs did not score a touchdown in the 31–9 loss to theTampa Bay Buccaneers.[126][127] He was ranked fifth by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2021.[128]
After Fisher was released and Sherman retired in the offseason, Kelce became the longest-tenured member of the Chiefs.[112] In the Chiefs' second game of the season, against the Ravens, he became the fastest tight end in NFL history to record 8,000 career yards, surpassingRob Gronkowski's record in 113 games.[129] In the Chiefs' week-15 game against the Chargers, Kelce set a career high for receiving yards in a game with 191 yards. He also caught two touchdowns, including the game-winning 34-yard touchdown in overtime.[130] Kelce was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[131] The game also put him over 1,000 yards for the season, his NFL record (among tight ends) extending sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season. It also extended Kelce's record for most 1,000-yard seasons by a tight end with six. He was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on December 20, 2021.[132] Kelce was activated on December 25, 2021.[133] However, due to NFL protocols forCOVID-19, since he tested positive for the virus and did not test negative before the day of the game, he was ruled out for the Chiefs' week 16 game against the Steelers. It was the first game Kelce had missed due to injury or illness since his rookie season.[134] In the regular season-ending game against the Broncos, Kelce became the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 9,000 career yards in just 127 games, a record also previously held by Gronkowski with 140 games.[135] He finished the season with 92 receptions for 1,125 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He was named Second-Team All-Pro by the AP, his sixth overall All-Pro selection. He was also named to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl.[136]
In theWild Card Round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kelce had five receptions for 108 yards and a receiving touchdown to go along with a two-yard touchdown pass toByron Pringle in the 42–21 victory.[137] In theDivisional Round against the Bills, he had eight receptions for 96 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the 42–36 overtime victory.[138] Kelce was wearing anNFL Films microphone for the game, and audio footage from the two offensive plays of the 13-second drive revealed that Kelce instructedTyreek Hill to run the route which led to the success of the first completion, and revealed him suggesting to Mahomes that he might improvise his own route on the second offensive play if the Bills' defensive scheme didn't change. Prior to the snap, Mahomes realized Kelce's suggested improvised route would work and shouted "Do it, Kelce!", before finding his tight-end for a completion of 25 yards.[139]
In Week 5, Kelce had four receiving touchdowns in the 30–29 victory over the Raiders.[142] Kelce tied the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a game.[143][144] In the Chiefs' Week 11 game against the Chargers, he recorded his NFL record-breaking (among tight ends) 33rd 100-yard receiving game with 115 yards. He also scored three touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown, his second straight season recording a game-winning touchdown against the Chargers.[9] In Week 14 against the Broncos, he became the fifth tight end in NFL history to have 10,000 receiving yards. He also officially recorded his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season, extending his records (among tight ends) of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and most overall 1,000 seasons.[145] He finished the 2022 season with 110 receptions for 1,338 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.[146]
Kelce set a single-game NFL postseason record for a tight end with 14 receptions in a 27–20 victory over the Jaguars in theDivisional Round.[147] He scored two receiving touchdowns in the game.[148] Kelce and the Chiefs appeared inSuper Bowl LVII against the Eagles. Kelce's brother Jason played for the Eagles, making it the first Super Bowl to feature two brothers as players on opposing teams.[149] Kelce caught six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38–35 to win his secondSuper Bowl.[150] He was ranked fifth by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2023.[151]
Kelce (center) before a 2023 game against theDenver Broncos
Kelce was inactive for the Chiefs' game against theDetroit Lions due to a knee injury he suffered earlier in the week. It was his first game missed due to an injury since his rookie season.[152] Kelce made his season debut the following week against the Jaguars.[153] In the Chiefs' week 7 game against the Chargers, Kelce tied a career high with 12 receptions. He also had 179 receiving yards, the second highest of his career.[154] In the Chiefs' Week 9 game against the Dolphins, he broke the Chiefs franchise record for career receiving yards.[155] Kelce finished the regular season with 984 receiving yards on 93 receptions and five touchdowns.[156] He elected to not play in the Chiefs' Week 18 matchup against theLos Angeles Chargers, ending his NFL-record streak of seven consecutive seasons to finish with 1,000 receiving yards.[157]
In the Divisional Round victory over the Bills, Kelce had two receiving touchdowns.[158] Kelce, along with Mahomes, broke the record for most career touchdowns in the playoffs for a quarterback/receiver duo.[159] In the AFC Championship Game victory against the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, surpassingJerry Rice for most playoff receptions and tying Rice for first in 100+ receiving yard games.[160] The victory marked Kelce's fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons.[160]
DuringSuper Bowl LVIII, Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards and was the leading yards receiver for the game. The Chiefs would win 25–22 in just the second Super Bowl in history to go to overtime, earning Kelce his third Super Bowl win.[161] The Chiefs became the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since theNew England Patriots accomplished the feat in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.[162] During the game, following a fumble by Chiefs running backIsiah Pacheco when Kelce was not on the field, he was shown screaming at the Chiefs' head coachAndy Reid. The incident drew criticism, for which Kelce later apologized through his podcast.[163] He was ranked ninth by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2024.[164]
On April 29, 2024, Kelce signed a two-year extension with the Chiefs for a reported $34.25 million, making him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.[165] Kelce started the season slow with just eight catches for 69 yards in the team's first three games.[166] In Week 4 against theLos Angeles Chargers, Kelce recorded a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards. During the game, Kelce became theChiefs' leader in career receptions, surpassingTony Gonzalez's previous record of 916 catches.[167] On December 8, Kelce reached 12,000 career receiving yards in a 19–17 win over theLos Angeles Chargers. He became the fastest tight end in NFL history to achieve this, doing so in 172 games.[168] OnChristmas Day against thePittsburgh Steelers, Kelce achieved his 1,000th career reception and became the Chiefs' leader in receiving touchdowns, surpassing the previous record set by Tony Gonzalez of 77.[169] In the 2024 season, Kelce finished with 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns.[166]
In theDivisional Round against the Texans, he had seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown in the 23–14 win.[170] In theAFC Championship, Kelce finished with two catches for 19 yards, but received a $11,255 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.[171][172] InSuper Bowl LIX against thePhiladelphia Eagles, Kelce had four catches for 39 yards; in doing so, Kelce set a new NFL record for most career Super Bowl receptions with 35, eclipsing the previous record of 33 held byJerry Rice.[173] However, the Chiefs lost to the Eagles by a score of 40–22, denying Kelce and the team a third consecutive championship.[174] After Super Bowl LIX, Kelce stated that he would "take some time" and decide whether or not he would retire or continue playing football.[175]
Kelce announced on February 27, 2025, that he would play in the2025 season in his final year under contract with Kansas City.[176]
On October 25, 2025, in a game against theDenver Broncos, Kelce broke the franchise record for total touchdowns with his eighty-fourth overall, putting the Chiefs ahead before they lost on a last-second field goal byWill Lutz. He had nine total catches for 91 yards in the game.[177] He finished the 2025 season with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns.[178]
Other ventures
Philanthropy
Kelce, participating in a celebrity softball game at Eastlake's Classic Park to benefit the Lake Health Foundation
Noted for being generous with his time and resources, Kelce has received several awards for his philanthropic efforts. He received the Chiefs'Ed Block Courage Award in 2014. In 2020, the Chiefs nominated him for theWalter Payton Man of the Year Award.[179] That same year, fans voted him the winner of the NFL's Charity Challenge Award.[180]
In 2015, Kelce created a foundation called Eighty-Seven & Running in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, with the goal of "empowering underprivileged youth".[179][181][182] The foundation organizes an annual fundraising event in Kansas City, including anauto show and a fashion show, to raise money for various causes there and in Cleveland.[183] Some of its other activities have included:
2018: With Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City-based nonprofit, opened a Robotics Lab accessible to nearly 300 elementary to high school students.[184][179]
2020: Gave $500,000 to buy and transform a Kansas City building into acoworking space to help disadvantaged children explore careers in STEM under a workforce development program called "Ignition Lab".[179][182]
2020: Gave $140,000 to Operation Breakthrough and the Heights Schools Foundation in Ohio to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic.[179]
2021: Created the "Catching for a Cause" initiative which pledges to donate money for every catch and touchdown that Kelce makes during the football season.[181]
2022: Endowed a Health and Wellness fund that supports theUniversity of Cincinnati's Sports Psychology and Counseling Department and the school's 450 athletes.[185]
2024: Donated 25,000 breakfast meals to students from Operation Breakthrough.[186]
2024: Helped an elderly former athlete by paying for repairs to her Kansas City home of 56 years.[187]
Kelce supports various non-profit organizations and initiatives, includingBoys & Girls Clubs of America andRead Across America Day,[188] and has donated autographed items to benefit theMake-A-Wish Foundation.[189] Kelce has made several appearances at Kansas City hospitals and schools to support local charities.[188] In 2019, he hosted a meet and dance event to raise funds for the "Rose Brooks Center", a Kansas City-based organization that provides shelter to women, children, and their pets in situations of domestic violence.[190] He and his brother Jason have also donated to the Heights Schools Foundation to buy equipment and fund afterschool activities.[191] In 2019, Kelce participated in a charity celebrity softball game to raise funds for theLake Health Foundation.[192] In 2024, he donated $100,000 to the family of two children who were seriously wounded in the2024 Kansas City parade shooting.[186] Kelce is among the Kansas City celebrities who have hosted the Big Slick charity event and gala, which benefits the Cancer Center atChildren's Mercy Hospital;[193] in 2024, Kelce and teammate Mahomes contributed game-worn Chiefs jerseys to a lot of NFL items that went for $250,000 at the charity auction.[193][194]
Activism
Kelce has been a vocal advocate forsocial justice. In 2017, he became one of the highest-profile white NFL players to kneel during thenational anthem in protest against police brutality, racism, and social inequalities in America.[195][196] After theshooting of Jacob Blake by police officer Rusten Sheskey, Kelce, along with teammate Patrick Mahomes, spoke publicly in support of social justice.[197] He has pledged support for theBlack Lives Matter movement[196] including in Kansas City.[198] In 2019, Kelce and other NFL players joined students in virtual class discussions around the U.S. to discussBlack Boys, aMalcolm Jenkins-produced documentary that examines social and emotional effects of racism against Black men.[199]
In January 2016, Kelce starred in theE! Entertainment Television dating showCatching Kelce,[201] choosing Maya Benberry as the winner.[202] In 2020, Kelce appeared as a fictionalized version of himself in the first episode of the comedy seriesMoonbase 8.[203] Kelce was featured inKelce, a feature-length documentary about his brother Jason's football career and private life that was released on Amazon Prime on September 11, 2023.[204] Within 24 hours, it was the most-watched movie among U.S. subscribers to the streaming service.[205] In May 2023, he signed withCreative Artists Agency for off-the-field representation while keeping his agent for his NFL representation.[206] Kelce hostedSaturday Night Live on March 4, 2023,[207] and appeared in a sketch with his brother Jason andSNL cast membersHeidi Gardner andChloe Fineman.[208][209] He also made a cameo appearance on the October 14, 2023, episode.[210] In 2024, it was announced that Kelce will host a reboot for the game showAre You Smarter than a 5th Grader? onAmazon Prime Video.[211][212] The show will be titledAre You Smarter than a Celebrity? with a 20-episode season.[213]
Kelce was featured, with his brother Jason, on the cover of "Fairytale of New York" (1987) bythe Pogues featuringKirsty MacColl, titled "Fairytale of Philadelphia", which appeared on the 2023 albumA Philly Special Christmas Special;[219] proceeds from the album benefit various charity institutions in Philadelphia. "Fairytale of Philadelphia" topped the USiTunes chart, following which the brothers thanked theSwifties.[220] The song further debuted at number five on theBillboard Digital Song Sales chart and number two onBillboard Rock Digital Song Sales with 6,000 downloads sold in the first week.[221] The song climbed to number one on both charts on its second week of release, making the brothersBillboard-charting artists.[222] He returned in 2024 to contribute vocals to the song "It's Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights) onA Philly Special Christmas Party.[223]
In September 2022, Kelce and his brother Jason launched a weeklysports podcast calledNew Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce, produced with Wave Sports + Entertainment.[226] The name is a nod to the brothers' upbringing inCleveland Heights, Ohio.[227] During the podcast, the brothers discuss NFL news, rumors, and sports headlines as well as each other's games.[228]New Heights features special guests including NFL players, celebrities, and members of their family.[229] The brothers record the podcast before cameras; it is broadcast live on YouTube and released in video and audio forms.[226]
Within weeks of its launch, the podcast was the most-listened-to sports podcast on Spotify and the third-most listened to on Apple Podcast sports charts.[229] In February 2023, the podcast experienced a rise in popularity when Travis and Jason faced off inSuper Bowl LVII,[230] it marked the first time two brothers played against each other.[231] It reached the No. 1 in Apple sports podcasts, No. 2 among all podcasts on Apple, and No. 3 on Spotify in all podcast categories.[227] The podcast is regularly highlighted onMonday Night Football onESPN andSunday Night Football on NBC.[229] In 2022, it was named the Sports Podcast of the Year bySports Illustrated.[232] After the premiere of the second season in September 2023,[233]New Heights became the No. 1 sports podcast in the U.S. and the No. 1 sports podcast globally on Spotify[232] as well as No. 1 among all podcasts on Apple.[234] In March 2025, New Heights won the Best Sports Podcast award at theIHeartRadio podcast awards.[235][236]
In 2019, Kelce founded his own health brand, Hilo Nutrition, which sellsgummy supplements for performance nutrition and other health benefits.[246] In January 2020, Kelce launched his own clothing brand, Tru Kolors.[247] It became the first brand by an NFL player to launch an official merchandise collaboration with an NFL franchise: theKansas City Chiefs in 2022.[248] In 2021, Kelce released a signature sneaker collection as part of a deal with Nike. The collection was called Nike x Kelce Blazer Mid '77 Vintage and included six shoes inspired by facets of Kelce's life, including his brand and his team's colors.[249] Kelce is co-owner of acar wash chain named Club Car Wash that operates in 109 locations in eight states in the central U.S.[250] In October 2023, Kelce andWalmart launched Travis Kelce's Kitchen, a line of sevenbarbecue products inspired by the flavors of Kansas City.[251]
In 2019, Kelce invested in the private equity firmL Catterton's purchase of thecondiment brandCholula Hot Sauce. He earned four times his investment whenMcCormick & Company acquired the brand for $800 million in 2020.[252] Kelce is also an angel investor in several companies, including thetequila brand Casa Azul,[253] the whole-grainpancake andwaffle mixesKodiak Cakes,[254] and themade-to-measuremenswear retailerIndochino.[255] In 2023, Kelce joined a group of investors, including actorRyan Reynolds and teammate Mahomes, to buy a stake inAlpine, a UK-based FrenchFormula One team. The exact amount or stake was not disclosed.[256] In 2024, Kelce teamed up with his brother Jason as significant owners and operators of the light beer company Garage Beer.[257] In 2025, Mahomes and Kelce opened a steak house called 1587 Prime at theLoews Hotel Kansas City.[258] In August 2025, Kelce launched a design collaboration withAmerican Eagle Outfitters.[259] In October 2025, Kelce partnered with activist investment firmJana Partners and other investors to push American theme park companySix Flags to improve its marketing and guest experiences; Jana had acquired a 9% stake in the company.[260]
Personal life
Kelce and Maya Benberry, the winner of his dating show, started dating after the show ended in April 2016.[261] In January 2017, Benberry confirmed that they had broken up.[202] From 2017 to 2022, Kelce was in a relationship withsocial media influencer Kayla Nicole Brown.[262]
Their highly publicized relationship and Swift's attendance at games stimulated interest in the Chiefs and the NFL during the2023 NFL season, breaking viewership, ticket sales, and merchandise sales records:[269] a Chiefs–Chicago Bears game drew the most television viewers of the weekend;[270] a Chiefs–New York Jets game averaged 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched Sunday-night television show sinceSuper Bowl LVII;[271] and a Chiefs–Buffalo Bills game on January 21, 2024, became the most-watched NFL divisional playoff game ever and the most-watched program on any network since Super Bowl LVII.[272] The Chiefs–Baltimore Ravens AFC Conference Championship Game was the most watched AFC Championship game of all time.[273] One widely cited estimate by a sports marketing company said the Kelce–Swift relationship had so stimulated ticket sales, viewership, and merchandising that in just six months the Chiefs franchise had gained $331.4 million in value.[274]
^Kelce has stated that he pronounces his last name/ˈkɛlsi/KEL-see, as that is how his father pronounces it, although the rest of his father's side of the family pronounces it/kɛls/KELSS.[10] Kelce's brother, Jason, later elaborated that their father "at some point ... got tired of correcting everyone calling him 'Kell-see.' ... And now I think we're both at the point where we're riding with Ed 'Kell-see'".[11]
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