He’s considered one of the greatest tight ends in American football history, but Travis Kelce has found even greater fame in recent years since starting a relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Kelce started in the NFL in 2013, when he was the first of two third-round picks (63rd overall)by the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent the majority of the 2013 season on the club’s injured list.
The 1.95-metre (6ft 5in), 113kg 34-year-old was first linked to Swift in 2023 when she was seen at one of his matches. She soon acknowledged they were already a couple by the time the world found out about their romance.
“We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for because we got to get to know each other.
Kelce is rated as one of the best of all time in the tight end position, among the likes of Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski, Shannon Sharpe and Antonio Gates.
Due to his strong blocking and powerful runs after the catch, Kelce has been an important weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, who have reached five Super Bowls in six years, winning three of them.
Kelce will certainly make the Pro Football Hall of Fame after he retires, already with three Super Bowls, 10 Pro Bowl selections and 77 career touchdowns, the fifth most for a tight end.
Travis Kelce’s NFL career
Born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, Kelce played college football at the University of Cincinnati.
Since being drafted, he has established himself as one of the game’s top tight ends, known for his athleticism, receiving skills and ability to make big plays. He has been a key player for the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he won the Super Bowl in 2019, 2022 and 2024.
Kelce quickly became a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ offence, earning multiple Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honours. Known for his exceptional route-running and catching, he has redefined the role of a modern tight end, contributing significantly to the Chiefs’ dynamic passing game.
He has shattered numerous records, including becoming the first tight end to record multiple 1000-yard receiving seasons.
Among many achievements, Kelce was selected to the Pro Bowl – similar to an all-star match – every season since 2015.
He was named an AP All-Pro after the 2016 (first-team), 2017 (second-team), 2018 (first-team), 2019 (second-team), 2020 (first-team; unanimous), 2021 (second-team) and 2022 (first-team) seasons.
Since 2017, he has been voted by his teammates as captain of the Chiefs’ offence before playoff games.
Beyond his on-field achievements, Kelce is known for his charismatic personality, making him a fan favourite and a prominent figure in the NFL community. He is actively involved in philanthropy, contributing to various charitable causes and making a positive impact off the field.
Podcast success
Kelce and his brother Jason, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, host one of the most popular sports podcast in the world, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. In it, the pair drop weekly insights about their games and share unique perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines.
Aside from the sport, Kelce isn’t new to the world of fame. He previously dated social media influencer Kayla Nicole, who accused him of cheating, telling the Daily Mail: “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” He also starred in the E! dating show Catching Kelce, on whichhe met and briefly dated Maya Benberry.
Travis Kelce net worth
Wealth site Celebrity Net Worth gives Travis Kelce a net worth US$90 million, made up of endorsement deals and his four-year US$57.25m deal with the Chiefs.
Taylor Swift net worth
According to Forbes, Swift is worth US$1.6 billion. Her recent Eras global tour grossed more than $2b in ticket sales.
Taylor Swift performing during the Eras tour. Photo / Getty Images
The Blank Space star went on to add that she’s happy to be seen at the games because being in a relationship means they support each other.
She added: “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care.”
Swift concluded by confessing she has learned to love football despite not really being a fan of the sport before meeting Kelce. “Football is awesome, it turns out. I’ve been missing out my whole life.”
