Travis Kelce is a professional American football player who currently plays as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL).
He was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, and played college football at the University of Cincinnati.
Kelce was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and has since become one of the most dominant tight ends in the league.
He is known for his exceptional receiving skills, speed, and agility, as well as his ability to create separation from defenders.
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Throughout his career, Kelce has been named to the Pro Bowl six times and has been named a First-Team All-Pro three times.
In 2020, he helped lead the Chiefs to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, where they ultimately lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Who is Travis Kelce?
Travis Kelce was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, and grew up with his three siblings in a family of athletes.
His father, Ed Kelce, played football at the University of Cincinnati, while his mother, Donna Kelce, played basketball at Cleveland State University.
Kelce attended Cleveland Heights High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball.
As a football player, he played both tight end and linebacker and was named to the All-Lake Erie League First Team in his junior and senior years. He also earned All-Ohio honors in his senior year.
After graduating from high school in 2008, Kelce enrolled at the University of Cincinnati to play college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
He redshirted his freshman year due to an injury but went on to have a successful college career. He played in 35 games over four seasons, catching 59 passes for 875 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In his senior year, he was named to the All-Big East First Team and was a semifinalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end.
Kelce was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury but returned in 2014 to become the team’s starting tight end.
He quickly established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl honors in his first five seasons (2015-2019) and being named to the All-Pro First Team in 2016, 2018, and 2020.
Kelce has been an integral part of the Chiefs’ success in recent years. In Super Bowl LIV in 2020, he caught six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, helping the Chiefs win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
He also set an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in a single season in 2020, with 1,416 yards.
Off the field, Kelce is known for his philanthropy and his charismatic personality.
He established the 87 & Running Foundation in 2018, which is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged youth in the Kansas City area.
He has also appeared on several television shows, including the dating reality show “Catching Kelce” and the game show “Celebrity Family Feud.”
Travis Kelce’s early life and Career
Kelce was raised in a sports-loving family, and he played various sports throughout his childhood.
Kelce attended Cleveland Heights High School, where he played football and basketball. As a football player, he played both quarterback and linebacker, and he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in his junior and senior years.
Kelce also played basketball, where he was a standout player and earned All-Lake Erie League honors in his senior year.
After graduating from high school in 2008, Kelce attended the University of Cincinnati, where he played for the Cincinnati Bearcats football team.
He redshirted his freshman year in 2008 and missed the entire 2010 season due to a violation of team rules. In 2011, he emerged as a starter for the Bearcats, recording 13 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
In his sophomore year in 2012, Kelce had a breakout season, recording 45 catches for 722 yards and eight touchdowns.
He was named to the All-Big East Second Team and was also named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Kelce was expected to have a big junior season, but he suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season.
Despite the injury, Kelce decided to declare for the 2013 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round with the 63rd overall pick.
He struggled with injuries in his rookie season, appearing in only one game, but he bounced back in his second season in 2014, recording 67 catches for 862 yards and five touchdowns.
Since then, Kelce has become one of the best tight ends in the NFL, earning multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
He helped lead the Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl LIV in 2020, where he recorded six catches for 43 yards and a touchdown.
As of his cutoff in September 2021, he had recorded over 8,000 receiving yards and 48 touchdowns in his NFL career.
How much is Travis Kelce’s Net Worth in 2023?
Travis Kelce is said to have an estimated net worth of $20 million after spending 10 years in the NFL. He has racked up close to $150 million from contracts alone.
Travis Kelce’s latest contract was an extension he signed with The Kansas City Chiefs in 2020, worth about $57 million that would keep him with the club up until 2026.
Around $22.75 million of the sum is guaranteed as he currently earns over $14 million per season on average.
Kelce’s first contract in the NFL was worth just $3.12 million with a $703,304 signing bonus, which he signed as a rookie back in 2013. In 2016, he got his first extension worth $46 million spread across 5 seasons.
Kelce is one of, if not the best, tight end in the NFL currently and it doesn’t look like he’s close to retiring anytime soon. He could be in line for another big contract if he manages to stay healthy.