Travis Kelce spent the offseason traveling around the globe, following his girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, to various locations on her Eras Tour. He appeared on TV, attended major sporting events, and continued hosting his popular podcast with his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce.
The Chiefs tight end is busier than ever and has more to manage, with increased attention on everything he does.
This makes the Chiefs’ practice facility and Arrowhead Stadium, just up the hill and across the parking lots, a special place where Kelce can relax with close friends.
“I just love football, and how it takes me away from life,” Kelce said Tuesday, two days before the Kansas City Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of their AFC championship game and officially start the NFL’s regular season.
“It gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about,” Kelce added. “I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan, and perfecting that for the people around me.
It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and live my life. And I just have so much excitement in what I’m doing.”
Kelce had a noticeable bounce in his step after Tuesday’s practice, not just because he made it through without injury; he had hyperextended his knee during the same practice last year, which caused him to miss Week 1 against Detroit.
Kelce, who will turn 35 next month, is close to breaking some records. He needs three more touchdown catches to pass Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez for the franchise record. He needs 10 more receptions to surpass Gonzalez for the career mark.
Seven more touchdowns would move Kelce ahead of Priest Holmes for the most total career touchdowns in Kansas City. He already holds the franchise record with 11,328 receiving yards.
There is also the most significant piece of history for Kelce: The Chiefs are trying for a record third straight Super Bowl win, which would give him a fourth championship ring in six years.
“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 retire. He says he’s having too much fun to think about it right now. But the past few weeks show just how diverse his interests have become off the field.
While getting ready for Week 1 against Baltimore, Kelce’s team — along with his brother’s team — was finalizing a three-year contract 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 existing podcast content and the exclusive rights to monetize and distribute new audio and video episodes starting this season.
On the same day that news came out, Barry Irwin, founder and CEO of Team Valor International, announced that Kelce recently bought a significant share in a 3-year-old gelding named — either by chance or design — Swift Delivery.
“It’s very exciting,” Irwin told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “I met him at the Kentucky Derby and got to spend some time with him and stuff, and we talked about horses and everything.
When this horse came to light and it was owned by one of my partners already, with the name I figured this has got to be a no-brainer.”
Kelce’s coaches and teammates, especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is one of his best friends, are impressed by his ability to handle everything in his life and still perform well on the field.
Even though there were moments last season when it seemed like Kelce might be slowing down, he still managed to catch 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns. In the playoffs, he excelled even more, with 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns in just four games.
It’s hard to think about retiring when the Chiefs continue to be the top team in the NFL.
“You have days off where maybe it’s a little bit tougher,” Kelce said, “but who doesn’t, man? Everybody has those days. But what you got to understand is that, you know, the goal in mind of the team is bigger than you, and everybody needs you to be at your best.
And my college coach, Butch Jones, always told me, ‘You’re a fountain or a drain.’ You don’t want to be draining anybody.”
