Grace TuckerCincinnati Enquirer
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelcehas swiftly catapulted to a new level of fame over a decade into his NFL career.
Sure, before his high-profile relationship, Kelce had two Super Bowl rings, shared the spotlight on an Amazon Prime documentary about his brother, and was regarded by many as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play. But, theCincinnati Bearcatslegend has recently gotten an evenbigger reputation thanks to being Taylor Swift's lover.
Since his enchanted coupling with the country's biggest pop star, Kelce's jerseys, podcast and even his haircut style have blown up in popularity.
Here's everything to know about the Ohio native that everybody can't stop talking about.
How old is Travis Kelce?
Kelce was born Oct. 5, 1989 (that year sound familiar?). He's 34 years old. Swift was born Dec. 13, 1989, making her the same age.
Where is Travis Kelce from?
Kelce was raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in Cuyahoga County in 2008.
Who is Travis Kelce's brother?
The tight end's brother is Jason Kelce, an All-Pro center for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason, who is older than Travis at 36 years old, married his wife, Kylie McDevitt, in 2018. They have three daughters.
The elder Kelce brotherwas named one of People's Sexiest Men for 2023alongside Timothée Chalamet, Jamie Foxx and Usher.
Jason is also Travis's co-host on their "New Heights" podcast, which they launched in September 2022 to share their experiences in the NFL.
Kelce brothers played college football for the University of Cincinnati
Travis Kelce committed to UC in 2013 and played alongside his older brother,Jason Kelce, who had become a Bearcat two years prior. Travis accepted a scholarship from the university and initially joined the Bearcats as a two-star quarterback before changing to tight end. He played for UC from 2008-2012. In his final season, Travis caught 45 passes for 722 yardsand eight touchdowns.
Travis and his brother, Jason Kelce, faced off in Super Bowl 57
Travis and Jasonwere thefirst brothers to square off in aSuper Bowlwhen their respective teams battled for the NFL championship last year. The Chiefs ultimately won the game over Jason's Philadelphia Eagles (Taylor's favorite team), 38-35. It was the Chiefs second Super Bowl title during Travis' career, which includes a victory in Super Bowl 54 in 2020.
Who are Travis Kelce's parents, Donna and Ed Kelce?
Donna and Ed Kelce, Kelce's mother and father, both grew up in Cleveland. Donna, an Ohio University alum, was the first person in her family to graduate college, according toPeople Magazine. After several attempts at joining the military, Ed ended up working in the steel industry.
The couple wed in the late 1970s and raised their two sons in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. They were married for nearly 25 years before going their separate ways after Travis and Jason graduated college, People reports.
How did Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift meet?
In July 2023, Kelce said on his "New Heights" podcasthe wanted to give Swift a friendship braceletwith his phone number on it during one of herEras Tourconcerts.
“She doesn’t meet anybody – or at least, she didn’t want to meet me – so I took it personal,” Kelce joked.
The Messengerlater reported in September that Kelce and Swift were "quietly hanging out."Jason Kelcethen discussed the pair's relationship status Sept. 20 on Philadelphia sports radio station 94 WIP, saying he thought the rumors were "100% true."
Swift confirmed in her Time Magazine Person of the Year interview in December that the two started hanging out right after Kelce made mention of the friendship bracelet on his podcast.
Was Travis Kelce at the Grammys this year?
Kelce did not attend the Grammys on Sunday, Feb. 4, due to conflicts with his Chiefs schedule, which is stacked ahead of the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
On Wednesday, Jan. 31, Kelce appeared on“ThePat McAfee Show,” where he said, “I wish I could go support Taylor at the Grammys, and watch her win every single award that she’s nominated for.”
Then, Kelce jokingly added, “But I think I’ve got practice on Sunday.”
At his team's media night on Monday, Feb. 5, Kelce gushed about his girlfriend's 13th and 14th Grammy wins the night prior.
"She’s unbelievable. She’s rewriting the history books. I told her I need to hold up my end of the bargain and bring home some hardware, too,"Kelce said. "Taylor has an unbelievable fan base that follows her and supports her throughout her life, and it's been fun to gather the Swifties and Chiefs Kingdom and open them up to the football world and the sports world."
Travis Kelce was a reality TV star
Kelce starred in an E! Entertainment Television reality dating show called “Catching Kelce.” The show premiered in October 2016, ran for eight episodes and followed the tight end's journey of dating 50 women, one from each U.S. state. Kelce ultimately chose contestant Maya Benberry, but the couple broke up in January 2017.
What are Travis Kelce's stats?
Travis finished the 2023 NFL regular season with 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He was just 16 yards shy of recording his eighth straight season with 1,000 receiving yards.
For his career, Travis has 907 receptions for 11,328 yards and 74 touchdown catches, which are near the top for all tight ends. He also has 1,810 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns in the playoffs, second only to NFL legend Jerry Rice. His 156 receptions in the playoffs are an NFL record.
Who is Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole?
Kayla Nicole, Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, is a journalist, model, host and influencer,Us Weekly reports.
She graduated from Pepperdine University in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and has since worked for various national media outlets, including ESPN and Barstool Sports. As a model, Nicole has also served as an ambassador forseveral fashion brands, such as Crocs and Savage X Fenty. She also runs the fitness brand Strong is Sexy.
Nicole and Kelce initially met through Instagram in 2017, after the NFL star slid into the influencer’s DMs. The couple reportedly had an on-again, off-again relationship for several years before officially splitting in May 2022.
