Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the sport, American athlete Travis Kelce is famed for his exploits in the National Football League (NFL) over the years. Most recently, Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to their second win at the Super Bowl 2024 — a highly watched and talked-about game where the world’s biggest pop star Taylor Swift was in attendance. But more on that later. In recent times, Kelce has also been making headlines for his life off the football field. So, before we deep dive into his career highlights and net worth, let’s take a closer look at just who Travis Kelce is.
For the uninitiated, while the name bears a striking resemblance to football, the most popular sport in the world, American football is quite different from its more famous counterpart. Barring the fact that both of these sports are contested by eleven players on each team and that there are goalposts on either end, American football and traditional football are like chalk and cheese. It is precisely because of this reason that Americans label the traditional form of football as ‘soccer’.
A tight end is a position in American football where a player is entrusted with a hybrid role, that of an offensive lineman and a receiver. It is in this position that Travis Kelce grew as a player to climb up the ranks of American football and become one of its shining stars in the modern era, even though he actually played as a quarterback in high school.
Born in Ohio, Travis Kelce is the younger brother of fellow NFL player Jason Kelce, a center who features for the Philadelphia Eagles. Back in his childhood, Travis Kelce attended the Cleveland Heights High School in his hometown of Cleveland Heights and played for three sports teams, namely football, basketball and baseball. He excelled in football and was recognised with All-Lake Erie League honours.
Travis Kelce with a hug for his mother and kisses for Taylor Swift pic.twitter.com/aAsoIGdXqK
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) February 12, 2024
Now in his prime, Travis Kelce attracts widespread media attention, and as such, has been in the news for a while now owing to his romantic affiliation with pop princess Taylor Swift.
So, in light of the media sensation regarding his girlfriend, we venture deep into Travis Kelce’s career highlights, net worth, salary, brand endorsem*nts and more.
Deep diving into Travis Kelce’s career highlights and stats
Early days in the NFL
After a successful collegiate career with the football team of the University of Cincinnati (he also won the Tight End of the Year at the 2013 College Football Performance Awards), Travis Kelce was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Chiefs signed Kelce on a USD 3.12 million rookie contract for a four-year period.
However, during the preseason, Travis Kelce injured his knee, and with the injury being diagnosed as a bone bruise later in the season, he was placed on injured reserve. The American also had to undergo a microfracture surgery on his knee. Kelce only played a single snap on special teams in the Chiefs’ game against the Dallas Cowboys on week two of the season.
In 2014, Travis Kelce notched up his first touchdown on a 20-yard reception from quarterback Alex Smith. He later recorded as many as seven receptions for 110 yards against the Arizona Cardinals. It was also his first NFL game with over 100 receiving yards. Kelce finished the season as the Kansas City Chiefs’ leading receiver, covering 862 yards off 67 receptions.
Travis Kelce kick-started his 2015 NFL campaign with his first multiple touchdowns in a game as he racked up two touchdowns in a victory against the Houston Texans. He started in all the regular season games of the Chiefs that season and recorded 72 catches for 875 yards and five touchdowns, and earned his way to his first Pro Bowl. Kelce was ranked 91st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
Making a name for himself in American football
In 2016, Travis Kelce signed a five-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs worth USD 46 million. He finished the regular season that year with career-highs in yards (1,125 yards) and receptions (85 receptions). Kelce was also named in the First-team All-Pro and was ranked 26th by his fellow players, and second among tight ends, on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
Travis Kelce only continued improving in the next couple of years. In 2017, he was ranked 24th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018 as he finished the regular season with a career-best eight touchdowns. Kelce bettered his own record in the subsequent season as he was ranked 21st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019, courtesy of his 103 receptions and 1,336 receiving yards which saw him finish on both the leaderboards at the tenth spot.
2019 saw Travis Kelce record 500 career receptions in a match against the Chicago Bears, in the process becoming the fastest to achieve this feat. He ended the regular season with 97 receptions for 1,229 receiving yards and five touchdowns as the Chiefs made it to the Pro Bowl. After a string of impressive performances, the Kansas-based outfit made it to the Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers.
In the championship match, Travis Kelce caught six passes for 43 receiving yards and recorded a touchdown as the Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious by a margin of 31-20. Kelce won the Super Bowl for the first time in his career and was ranked 18th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.
Becoming one of the best in business
Travis Kelce signed a four-year contract extension with the Chiefs in 2020 worth USD 57 million. While Kelce enjoyed yet another brilliant season in terms of individual performances, which includes setting a record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single Super Bowl with 133 yards, the Kansas City Chiefs suffered a humiliating 31-9 loss in the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl LV. Kelce was ranked fifth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021, and it was the first time that the player made it to the top ten of the list.
In 2021, Travis Kelce became the longest-tenured player of the Kansas City Chiefs following the team’s release of left tackle Eric Fisher and the retirement of fullback Anthony Sherman in the offseason. Kelce became the fastest tight end in NFL’s history to record 8,000 career yards in the Chiefs’ second game of the season against the Baltimore Ravens. While the Kansas-based team made it to the Pro Bowl, they could not win the championship that season as they bowed out of the AFC Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals following a 27-24 overtime loss, in which Kelce had 10 receptions and a solitary touchdown.
Travis Kelce recorded his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2022, extending his record among tight ends in NFL’s history. He finished the regular season with 110 receptions for 1,338 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, and also became the fifth tight end in the history of the league to record 10,000 receiving yards in his career.
The Super Bowl LVII became the first NFL Super Bowl to feature two brothers on opposing teams as the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Philadelphia Eagles in the championship game, which features Travis Kelce’s brother Jason Kelce. The Chiefs, on the back of Travis Kelce’s six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, won the Super Bowl against the Eagles by a margin of 38-35.
In 2024, at the Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs once again emerged tops for a second year running with a score of 25-22 against the San Francisco 49ers. The game was a particularly thrilling one, thanks to the media buzz surrounding Kelce and his girlfriend Taylor Swift — who cheered him on from the stands alongside a posse of famous friends including Blake Lively and Ice Spice.
How much is Travis Kelce’s net worth and salary?
By virtue of being one of the most popular NFL stars, it comes as little surprise that Travis Kelce has amassed commendable wealth throughout his career. According to a report by CAknowledge, Travis Kelce, as of 2023, has a net worth of around USD 50 million.
Most of Kelce’s wealth can be attributed to his earnings from American football. Various reports suggest that Travis Kelce’s contract with the Kansas City Chiefs is worth over USD 57 million and ranges over a four-year period, which translates to an annual salary of USD 14.3 million.
Which brands does Travis Kelce endorse?
The performances of Travis Kelce have made him a popular star in the United States of America, not only among sports fans and experts but also among major multinational organisations who chase him to sign as a brand ambassador. Travis Kelce’s endorsem*nt deals, albeit not his primary source of income, add significantly to his career earnings.
Kelce has a number of major corporations in his rich endorsem*nt portfolio. The most prominent of his endorsem*nt deals is with American multinational fast food chain McDonald’s. He also has a long-standing endorsem*nt deal with American athletic footwear and apparel manufacturer Nike.
In addition, Travis Kelce enjoys the privilege of having endorsem*nt deals with a host of other popular companies as well, such as Papa John’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Tide, LG, Old Spice, T-Mobile and Amazon, among others.
A look at the relationship of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
How about that touchdown, @TaylorSwift13? pic.twitter.com/f58bpLeLWT
— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2023
Since last year, there has been much fanfare about the romance between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, the American singer and songwriter who is arguably one of the most prominent cultural figures of the 21st century. Social media has been buzzing with pictures and videos of Swift supporting Kelce at his games, as well as Kelce watching Swift perform on her Eras Tour. During a show in Buenos Aires, Swift even sparked a frenzy when she alluded to her new beau in her song ‘Karma’ by changing a lyric to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.” After the concert, she was spotted embracing and kissing Kelce offstage.
Evidently, things are getting serious. Both have met each other’s friends and families, and been seen going out on dates together. On September 24, 2023, Taylor Swift was spotted in attendance sitting beside Travis Kelce’s mother Donna, at the NFL game between Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. Even though the Chiefs’ tight end scored a touchdown and guided his side to a 41-10 rout of the Bears, people were more intrigued to see Swift and her potential mother-in-law getting chummy. At subsequent games, the pair openly embraced and kissed in front of the crowds.
On February 11 (February 12, Singapore time), Swift took time off from her hectic touring schedule to stop by the Super Bowl LVIII, where she watched Kelce and the Chiefs emerge victorious.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– How much is Travis Kelce’s net worth?
According to reports, Travis Kelce’s net worth, as of 2023, is around USD 50 million.
– How much does Travis Kelce earn annually?
Travis Kelce’s contract with the Kansas City Chiefs is worth over USD 57 million and ranges over a four-year period, which translates to an annual salary of USD 14.3 million.
– Who is Travis Kelce dating?
Travis Kelce is currently in a romantic relationship with American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift.
(Main image: Michael Owens via AP; Featured image: Instagram/@Travis Kelce)
An earlier version of this story first appeared on Augustman Malaysia.
