Travis Kelce is no stranger to being the talk of the NFL, but now, he’s at the center of the Swifie universe.
Kelce, a tight end, was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, going on to play in and win the Super Bowl with the Missouri team in 2020 and 2023. After more than a decade in the National Football League, Kelce has recently stolen the hearts of Taylor Swift’s fans as they root for the musician and the athlete’s reported romance.
From the start, Kelce took a cue from the Swifties. Swift’s fans are known to trade friendship bracelets at her Eras Tour shows, and Kelce planned on asking her out by making her a bracelet with his phone number on in July.
“I wanted to give Taylor Swift [a bracelet] with my number on it,” Kelce said on an episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings so I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
Two months later, Swift broke the the brains of both of their fanbases when she accepted Kelce’s invite to watch him play at Arrowhead Stadium in September.
Keep scrolling to learn everything there is to know on Kelce.
Where Is Kelce From?
Kelce is from Westlake, Ohio and attended Cleveland Heights High School. He now resides in Kansas City.
Where Did He Go to College?
Kelce attended the University of Cincinnati from 2008 to 2012. He majored in Exploratory Studies and was awarded a scholarship from the school to play football. In 2010, he was suspended from playing for a year after failing a marijuana test, and his scholarship was taken away.
In a July episode of the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, Kelce opened up about transitioning from quarterback to tight end after his suspension. “What it did was it really kicked me into the tight end room. I was still playing QB then,” he said at the time. “It was like, ‘Alright, you can come walk on the team, but we don’t need a quarterback. You can just be an athlete on scout team for a year, we’ll figure it out.’”
What Is Kelce’s Football Position?
A tight end is an offensive player who has several potential roles in the game. Sometimes (more often than not for Kelce), the tight end acts as a receiver — and Kelce has found a lot of success connecting with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the endzone. (Following the first game Swift attended, Mahomes told reporters Kelce often makes up his own routes.) The tight end can also serve as an offensive lineman, protecting the quarterback during passing plays or blocking on running plays.
Kelce’s jersey number is 87.
Has Kelce Always Played for the Chiefs?
Kelce has played on the Chiefs for his whole career and has major success on the field. He’s played in the Pro Bowl eight times — which only features the top players of the NFL — and has been the All Pro seven times — an honor given to the greatest athletes.
When Is His Birthday?
Kelce’s birthday is October 5, 1989 — making him the same age as Swift.
In September, he was seen wearing a KidSuper Studios 1989 inspired outfit, seemingly referencing her upcoming album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version.) The set featured a blue and white design, which is also known as the album’s signature colors.
How Tall Is Kelce?
He is 6’5” and weighs 220 lbs.
Does He Have Siblings?
Travis has an older brother, Jason Kelce, who also played football at the University of Cincinnati. Jason currently plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
At the 2022 Super Bowl, the brothers played against each other in a close game. Travis helped lead the Chiefs to victory.
They also cohost the podcast “New Heights,” where they talk about their lives on and off of the field.
What Is Travis’ Dating History?
Before his rumored romance with Swift began, Kelce dated model and broadcaster Kayla Nicole. The couple were on and off for nearly five years, calling it quits in May 2022.
When Did Travis Have a TV Show?
Travis starred on Catching Kelce, a 2016 reality dating show where he dated one woman from each state in search of his soulmate. While he picked Maya Benberry, they split after less than a year together.
