Travis Kelce is a professional American football player born on October 5, 1989. He currently plays as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL. He joined the Chiefs in 2013 after being chosen in the third round of the NFL draft. Kelce has achieved significant success with the team winning Super Bowls LIV LVII and LVIII. Before his professional career, he played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Kelce is widely regarded as one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl nine times and has received All-Pro honors seven times with four first-team selections and three second-team selections. He holds several NFL records including the most consecutive seasons and the most overall seasons with 1000 receiving yards by a tight end totaling seven seasons.
In 2020, he set a record for the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 1416 yards achieved in just 15 games. During the 2022 season, Kelce became the fifth NFL tight end to reach 10000 career receiving yards accomplishing this milestone faster than any other tight end in NFL history. He was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Travis Kelce has ventured into the world of entertainment. He has appeared on both reality and scripted television shows and has been featured in various advertisements. Kelce co-hosts a podcast called New Heights with his brother Jason where they discuss a range of topics from football to popular culture. His romantic relationship with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has garnered significant media attention and has contributed to increased viewership and revenue for his team and the NFL as a whole.
| Full Name | Travis Kelce |
| Date of Birth | October 5, 1989 |
| Place of Birth | Westlake, Ohio, USA |
| Occupation | Professional Football Player |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) |
| Partners | Kayla Nicole Taylor Swift |
| Children | None |
| Net Worth | $70 million |
Travis Kelce Early Life and Education
Travis Kelce was born in Westlake Ohio on October 5, 1989. His dad Ed Kelce sells steel and his mom Donna used to work at a bank. His older brother Jason played for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 years.
Travis went to Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland Heights Ohio where he played football basketball and baseball. He was a good quarterback for the Tigers earning letters for three years. In his final year in 2007, he had impressive stats: 1016 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns plus 1523 passing yards 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His total offense of 2539 yards got him recognized with All-Lake Erie League honors.
Travis Kelce wasn’t a top-rated football player when he was scouted by Rivals.com. He chose to go to the University of Cincinnati instead of other schools like Akron Eastern Michigan and Miami (OH) where he also got offers. At Cincinnati, his brother Jason was already playing. In his first year, Kelce didn’t play because he was redshirted. But in the following year, he played in 11 games.
He didn’t just stick to one position; he played both tight end and quarterback in a special formation called the Wildcat. He did pretty well scoring two touchdowns and making a few runs. However, in 2010 he got into trouble and was suspended for a season because he tested positive for marijuana which broke the team rules.
Travis Kelce came back in 2011 and played as a tight end making 13 catches and scoring two touchdowns. His last year in college 2012 was his best. He caught a lot of passes with 45 receptions in total. He also gained a lot of yards and scored many touchdowns. Because of his outstanding performance, he got awards and recognition from his college and other organizations. He graduated in 2022 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Interestingly he got his diploma during a podcast event in April 2024 where his brother Jason was also present.
Career
Travis Kelce got picked by the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2013 NFL draft. This happened in the third round as the 63rd overall pick. At that time the Chiefs had Andy Reid as their new head coach. Reid knew Kelce because he had coached his brother Jason Kelce back in 2011 when he was with the Eagles. The Chiefs signed Travis Kelce to a rookie contract worth $3.12 million for four years including a signing bonus of $703304.
Kelce hurt his knee before the regular season started. Doctors found out it was a bone bruise. He had to sit out some games and eventually had surgery on his knee which put him on injured reserve for the rest of the 2013 season. Despite this setback, he managed to play briefly in one game.
His first NFL touchdown came in a game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3. However, he got fined $11025 for making an inappropriate gesture in another game against the Denver Broncos. Despite ups and downs, he had a breakthrough game against the Arizona Cardinals with seven catches for 110 yards. He finished his rookie season with 862 receiving yards.
The following seasons saw Kelce’s career flourish. In 2015, he had his first multiple-touchdown game and made it to his first Pro Bowl. He continued to excel setting records and earning accolades like being named First-team All-Pro. His 2017 season was particularly impressive finishing second among tight ends in receiving yards and earning a third consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
In the playoffs, he remained a key player for the Chiefs despite some losses. In 2018 he benefited from the arrival of new quarterback Patrick Mahomes setting more records and making it to another Pro Bowl and being named first-team All-Pro.
Throughout his career, Travis Kelce’s performance has consistently ranked him among the top players in the league as recognized by his peers in the NFL Top 100 Players list.
In Week 2 of the season against the Raiders Kelce caught seven passes for 107 yards and scored a touchdown helping the Chiefs win 28-10. Even with Mahomes injured and just two touchdowns, Kelce led all tight ends and Chiefs players in receiving yards by the midway point of the season racking up 604 yards. In Week 11 against the Chargers in Mexico Kelce caught seven passes for 92 yards and another touchdown in a 24-17 win.
He continued to shine in Week 14 against the Patriots making seven catches for 66 yards and scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown in a 23-16 victory. Then in the following game against the Broncos Kelce had a standout performance with 11 catches for 142 receiving yards helping the Chiefs win 23-3. Against the Chicago Bears, he caught eight passes for 74 yards and a touchdown becoming the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions.
In the 2019 season, Travis Kelce finished with impressive stats: 97 receptions 1229 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns plus one rushing touchdown. He made NFL history as the first tight end with four consecutive seasons of over 1000 receiving yards and earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod.
In the playoffs Travis Kelce’s contributions were crucial. In the Divisional Round against the Texans despite a rough start with a 24-0 deficit Kelce’s efforts including 10 catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns in one quarter helped the Chiefs secure a 51-31 victory. He continued to perform well in the AFC Championship Game against the Titans catching three passes for 30 yards in a 35-24 win. In Super Bowl LIV against the 49ers, Kelce caught six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown contributing to the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory.
In the 2020 season, Kelce signed a contract extension with the Chiefs through 2025. He continued to impress with multiple standout performances including a game against the Bills where he caught two touchdowns. However, he received a fine for dunking the ball through the goalposts in celebration. He also had a remarkable game against the Panthers with ten receptions for 159 yards.
Throughout the 2021 season, Travis Kelce demonstrated his skill and consistency. In a game against the Chargers, he set a career high with 191 receiving yards including a game-winning touchdown in overtime. This performance marked his sixth consecutive season with over 1000 receiving yards setting a new NFL record among tight ends. Despite a brief setback when he tested positive for COVID-19 Kelce continued to excel finishing the season with 1125 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
In the playoffs, Kelce remained a key player for the Chiefs. He had impressive performances in the Wild Card and Divisional Rounds contributing to victories against the Steelers and Bills. In the AFC Championship Game against the Bengals, he had ten receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown although the Chiefs lost in overtime.
In the 2022 season, Travis Kelce achieved several milestones including tying the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a single game against the Raiders and recording his 33rd 100-yard receiving game against the Chargers. He became the fifth tight end in NFL history to reach 10000 receiving yards and finished the season with 110 receptions for 1338 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In the playoffs, Kelce set a single-game NFL postseason record for receptions by a tight end with 14 catches against the Jaguars. He continued to shine in Super Bowl LVII against the Eagles contributing to the Chiefs’ victory with six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.
In the 2023 season, Travis Kelce faced some challenges with a knee injury but still managed impressive performances including tying his career high with 12 receptions against the Chargers. He broke the Chiefs’ franchise record for career receiving yards and finished the regular season with 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
In the playoffs, Kelce continued to make an impact scoring two touchdowns in the Divisional Round victory over the Bills. In the AFC Championship Game against the Ravens, he had 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown setting records for playoff receptions and 100+ receiving yard games.
During Super Bowl LVIII Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards helping the Chiefs secure their third Super Bowl win in a thrilling overtime victory against the Bengals.
In the 2024 season, Travis Kelce signed a two-year extension with the Chiefs solidifying his status as the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.
Net Worth
Travis Kielce has an estimated net worth of $70 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Travis Kelce’s net worth comes from his career as a professional football player in the NFL.
Philanthropy
Travis Kelce is well-known for his kindness and generosity. He’s won awards for his charity work like the Chiefs’ Ed Block Courage Award in 2014 and a nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2020. He even won the NFL’s Charity Challenge Award the same year.
In 2015, Kelce started a nonprofit called Eighty-Seven & Running in Cleveland Ohio where he grew up. It aims to help kids in need by offering support and resources to their communities and helping them develop their talents.
He’s done a lot for his community. In 2018, Travis Kelce and a nonprofit called Operation Breakthrough built a Robotics Lab for almost 300 students in Kansas City. Then he donated $500000 in 2020 to turn a building in Kansas City into a workspace for disadvantaged kids interested in STEM fields.
Every year Kelce hosts events like auto and fashion shows in Kansas City to raise money for different causes. He’s also pledged to donate money for each catch and touchdown he makes through his “Catching for a Cause” initiative.
Kelce supports various organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Read Across America Day. He’s even visited hospitals and schools in Kansas City to help out.
He’s been involved in activism too. Kelce kneeled during the national anthem in 2017 to protest police brutality and racism. He’s spoken up for social justice and supported the Black Lives Matter movement.
On the entertainment side, Kelce starred in a dating show in 2016 and appeared in a comedy series in 2020. He’s been in documentaries and even hosted Saturday Night Live.
Travis Kelce is also a big name in music. He’s appeared on album covers and performed on TV shows. He even started his music festival called Kelce Jam.
He’s into podcasts too. In 2022 Kelce and his brother Jason started a sports podcast called New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce. It quickly became popular and has featured NFL players celebrities and family members as guests.
Kelce has endorsed many brands over the years and has his health brand called Hilo Nutrition. He also launched his own clothing line and sneaker collection.
He’s not just about sports and entertainment though. Kelce has invested in businesses like a car wash chain a condiment brand and even a Formula One racing team.
Travis Kelce is not just a football star; he’s also making a big impact off the field through his charity work activism entertainment ventures and business investments.
Personal Life
Travis Kelce a football star and Maya Benberry who won his dating show started dating after the show ended in April 2016. But by January 2017 they had split up. Then from 2017 to 2022 Kelce was with Kayla Nicole Brown who’s big on social media.
In 2023, Travis Kelce began dating singer Taylor Swift. This got a lot of attention especially since Swift started showing up at his games. And guess what? More people started watching NFL games, especially the ones Swift went to. Some games she attended even broke records for TV views ticket sales and merchandise. For example, a Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears game drew the most TV viewers that weekend. And when the Chiefs played the New York Jets it got the highest Sunday night TV views since the last Super Bowl.
Their relationship has been a big deal earning them the nickname “America’s royal couple.” And when the Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl it was dubbed the Taylor Swift Bowl.
Their relationship also boosted the Chiefs’ worth by a staggering $331.4 million in just six months according to some sports experts.
Travis Kelce likes golf, especially in the off-season. He’s won contests and even played in celebrity tournaments with his teammate Patrick Mahomes. Outside of football he owns homes in Kansas City and a condo in Orlando Florida. And he’s a big fan of collecting cars.
