1
He Plays for the Kansas City Chiefs
Travis is one of the most recognizable football players out there right now. He’s been a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2013 and was a third round draft pick. He has two Super Bowl rings from when the Chiefs won in 2019 and 2023.
2
He’s From Cleveland
Travis grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland with a population of about 46,000. He often reps his hometown, which also inspired name of his podcast New Heights (which he co-hosts with brother Jason).
3
He’s a Prolific NFL Record Holder
It’s impossible to deny Travis’ talent on the football field. Widely considered one of the greatest tight ends in the NFL, he’s a record breaking athlete with an impressive resume. In 2022, Travis reached 10,000 career receiving yards faster than any other tight end. He has broken the records for catching touchdown passes in playoff games, as well as for the most receptions in his first 10 seasons.
He is the only tight end to have at least 1,000 receiving yards for seven consecutive seasons, and in 2020, he earned the title being the tight end with the most receiving yards in a single season.
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4
His Brother Is Also an NFL Player
Travis isn’t the only football player in his family. His older brother is Jason Kelce, a sixth round draft and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason is also a Super Bowl champion, having been selected for the Pro-Bowl three times (and the All-Pro first team twice). The siblings actually played against each other at the Super Bowl LVII, a game in which the Chiefs came out victorious.
5
The Two Have a Podcast Together
New Heights drops episodes weekly, acting as a place for the brothers to give their insight on games, poke fun at each other, as well as share their own thoughts on trending NFL news and sports headlines.
6
He Once Had a Reality Dating Show
In 2016, the football player starred in his own E! reality show called Catching Kelce. It was a dating show that documented Kelce’s search for a partner. He had to choose between 50 eligible partners, one woman from each state in the U.S.
After eight episodes, Travis ended up picking Maya Benberry, and the two were together for a little less than a year before they broke up in January 2017.
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7
He Has a Charity Foundation
Travis started the 87 & Running foundation in 2015. It’s a nonprofit foundation that helps provide disadvantaged youth with opportunities and resources they might not have access to. While this includes athletics, they also help those interested in education, business, STEM, and the arts. He was inspired to set up the foundation after growing up in a diverse community where he saw many kids who weren’t able to have the same experiences he did because of their family’s financial situations.
8
His 87 Number Is Inspired by His Brother
Travis wears the number 87 because of his older brother Jason, who was born in 1987.
“If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987,” Travis said in an interview with NFL Films.
9
He Previously Dated Kayla Nicole
Up until 2022, Travis was in an on-and-off relationship with Kayla Nicole, an on-air sports and entertainment reporter and influencer. This relationship lasted about five years from 2017 to 2022.
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10
He Has His Own Clothing Line
As evidenced by his many stylish outfits off the field, Travis is interested in fashion. So much so, in fact, that he is a clothing designer and founder of Tru Kolors, an elevated sportswear brand. Tru Kolors consists of stylish basics, like hoodies, shorts, and t-shirts, in both patterns and solid colors.
11
He Has Two Dogs
Travis is the proud owner of two dogs named Chauncey and Rambo. “I just love hanging out with them — playing games with them, trying to teach them tricks and little things on command,” Travis said about his dogs in a 2019 interview with The Pitch. “I don’t know, I’m just a typical dog owner I would say.”
12
He Considered Playing Professional Baseball
Before becoming an NFL star, Travis was almost a professional baseball player. He played baseball back in high school, but instead of pursuing the sport further, he got more involved in football while attending the University of Cincinnatti. He is often spotted in the audience at baseball games, and threw the first pitch at the Guardians’ home opener in 2023.
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13
He Has Hosted Saturday Night Live
Travis has a little bit of a history with Saturday Night Live. He first hosted the show in March 2023 alongside musical guest Kelsea Ballerini, and his comedic performance was praised by fans and critics. In October 2023, Travis and Swift made surprise cameo appearances on SNL that producers didn’t even know about until right before the show.
14
He Has Spoken Up About Racial Issues Before
Travis has a history of speaking up about racial issues in the past. Former quarterback Colin Kaepernick gained attention for kneeling during the national anthem at a preseason NFL game in 2016, and throughout the rest of the season, Travis was one of the most high-profile NFL players to follow suit.
15
He Publicly Made The First Move With Taylor Swift
Travis attended Swift’s Eras Tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium in July 2023, which is home of the Chiefs. When he went, he made Swift a friendship bracelet that had his phone number on it, but wasn’t able to give it to her that night. He talked about it a bit on his podcast, saying she wasn’t able to meet up with him and he was “hurt.”
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he sent out a message to Swift: “I’ve seen you rock the stage at Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit.” Not long after that, Swift made headlines when she was seen in the audience at a Chiefs game alongside Travis’ mom.
Jessica Booth
Jessica is a freelance writer from New York who loves kale salads and hanging out with her cats.