Chiefs’ Travis Kelce finds sanctuary when he steps on the football field
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Kelce spent the offseason jetting around the world, following his girlfriend, pop superstar Taylor Swift, to multiple stops on her Eras Tour. He popped up on TV, showed up at some of the biggest sporting events in the world and continued to produce his popular podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce.
The Chiefs tight end has never been busier. He’s never had more to juggle, with more eyes on everything he is doing.
All of which makes the Chiefs’ practice facility, along with Arrowhead Stadium just up the hill and across an expanse of parking lots, something of a sanctuary, where Kelce can let loose with some of his closest confidants.
“I just love football, and how it takes me away from life,” Kelce said Tuesday, two days before the Kansas Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of their AFC championship game and officially lift the lid on the NFL’s regular season.
Indeed, Kelce had an unmistakable bounce to his step after Tuesday’s practice, and not just because he made it through healthy; he hyperextended his knee during the same practice a year ago, causing him to miss Week 1 against Detroit.
Kelce, who turns 35 next month, has history within his sights.
He needs just three touchdown catches to pass Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez for the franchise record. He needs 10 receptions to pass Gonzalez for that career mark. Seven touchdowns would move Kelce past Priest Holmes for the most total career touchdowns in Kansas City. And he already is the franchise leader with 11,328 yards receiving.
Then there is the most important piece of history, at least as far as Kelce is concerned: The Chiefs are aiming for a record third consecutive Super Bowl title, which would give him a fourth ring in a 6-year span.
“I’ve been fortunate to be able to play as many games as I played,” he said. “That’s why I really enjoy going out there every single day, even if it’s just a practice to work on my craft. Because not everybody gets that same fortune in their career.”
Kelce doesn’t know when he will call it quits. He insists that he’s having too much fun to even consider it right now.
While he was preparing for Week 1 against Baltimore, Kelce’s representatives — along with those of his brother — were finalizing a 3-year deal with Amazon’s
Wondery reportedly worth nine figures for the exclusive advertising sales and distribution rights to their “New Heights” podcast. The deal includes the back catalog of their podcast content along with the exclusive rights to monetize and distribute audio and video episodes beginning with this season.
The same day that news broke, Team Valor International founder and CEO Barry Irwin announced Kelce recently acquired a significant share in a 3year-old gelding named — appropriately or coincidentally — Swift Delivery.