Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Travis Kelce

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Travis Kelce made an impact.

Travis Kelce is a highly accomplished American football tight end currently playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL. Drafted in 2013, Kelce has become a key player for the Chiefs, contributing significantly to their success. He played college football at the University of Cincinnati. He has won three Super Bowls (LIV, LVII, and LVIII) with the Chiefs, solidifying his status as one of the league's premier tight ends.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2007: Senior Year Football Stats

In 2007, as a senior at Cleveland Heights High School, Travis Kelce rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns, and threw for 1,523 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, earning All-Lake Erie League honors.

2008: Redshirted at Cincinnati

In 2008, Travis Kelce redshirted at the University of Cincinnati.

2009: First College Football Appearance

In 2009, Travis Kelce appeared in 11 games for the Cincinnati Bearcats, playing tight end and quarterback, and tallied 8 rushes for 47 yards and two touchdowns, and one reception for three yards.

2011: Jason Kelce Drafted by Eagles

In 2011, Andy Reid drafted Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce's brother, to the Eagles. Reid was later familiar with Travis Kelce.

2011: Return to Tight End

In 2011, Travis Kelce returned to playing tight end for the Cincinnati Bearcats, recording 13 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns.

2012: Collegiate Season Highs

In 2012, during his last collegiate season, Travis Kelce set personal season highs with 45 receptions, 722 receiving yards, 16.0 yards per reception, and 8 receiving touchdowns.

March 2013: Tight End of the Year Award

In March 2013, Travis Kelce was named the College Football Performance Awards Tight End of the Year.

June 6, 2013: Signed by Kansas City Chiefs

On June 6, 2013, Travis Kelce signed a four-year, $3.12 million rookie contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, including a $703,304 signing bonus.

October 12, 2013: Placed on Injured Reserve

On October 12, 2013, Travis Kelce was placed on injured reserve after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee, following an injury in the preseason. He only played one snap during the season before being placed on injured reserve.

2013: Drafted by Kansas City Chiefs

In 2013, Travis Kelce was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the NFL draft.

2014: Leading Receiver for the Chiefs

In 2014, Travis Kelce was the Chiefs' leading receiver, with a total of 862 yards off 67 receptions.

2015: First Multiple Touchdown Game and Pro Bowl Selection

In 2015, Travis Kelce had his first NFL multiple touchdown game and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. He recorded 72 catches for 875 yards and five touchdowns.

January 29, 2016: Contract Extension

On January 29, 2016, Travis Kelce signed a five-year, $46 million contract extension.

December 20, 2016: Named to Pro Bowl

On December 20, 2016, Travis Kelce was named as a starter in his second career Pro Bowl.

2016: Ranked 91st in NFL Top 100

In 2016, Travis Kelce was ranked 91st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

December 19, 2017: Named to Pro Bowl

On December 19, 2017, Travis Kelce was named to his third straight Pro Bowl.

2017: Ranked 26th in NFL Top 100

In 2017, Travis Kelce was ranked 26th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2018: Ranked 21st in NFL Top 100

In 2018, Travis Kelce was ranked 21st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2018: Record-Breaking Season

In the 2018 season, Travis Kelce broke the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end, but was surpassed later that day. He ended the season with 103 receptions for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named to the 2018 Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro.

2019: Fifth Pro Bowl Selection

In 2019, Travis Kelce finished the season with 97 receptions for 1,229 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns, making him the first tight end in NFL history to record four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.

2019: Founded Hilo Nutrition health brand

In 2019, Travis Kelce founded his own health brand, Hilo Nutrition, which sells gummy supplements for performance nutrition and other health benefits.

2019: Investment in Cholula Hot Sauce

In 2019, Travis Kelce invested in L Catterton's purchase of the condiment brand Cholula Hot Sauce.

2019: Reciting Beastie Boys' song after AFC Championship Game

In 2019, Travis Kelce recited the chorus from the Beastie Boys' 1986 song "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" during the team celebrations after the AFC Championship Game.

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January 2020: Launched Tru Kolors clothing brand

In January 2020, Travis Kelce launched his own clothing brand, Tru Kolors.

August 14, 2020: Contract Extension with the Chiefs

On August 14, 2020, Travis Kelce signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, keeping him with the team through the 2025 season.

2020: Earned profit from Cholula Hot Sauce acquisition

In 2020, Travis Kelce earned four times his investment when McCormick & Company acquired Cholula Hot Sauce for $800 million.

2020: NFL Record for Receiving Yards

In 2020, Travis Kelce set the NFL record for the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season, achieving 1,416 yards despite playing only 15 games.

2020: Ranked 18th in NFL Top 100

In 2020, Travis Kelce was ranked 18th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2021: Released Nike x Kelce Blazer Mid '77 Vintage collection

In 2021, Travis Kelce released a signature sneaker collection as part of a deal with Nike called Nike x Kelce Blazer Mid '77 Vintage. It included six shoes that were inspired by facets of Kelce's life, including his brand and his team's colors.

August 2022: Hy-Vee begins manufacturing "Kelce's Krunch" cereal

In August 2022, Hy-Vee began manufacturing "Kelce's Krunch", a limited-edition frosted cornflakes breakfast cereal named after and endorsed by Kelce.

September 2022: Launch of "New Heights" podcast

In September 2022, Travis Kelce and his brother Jason launched a weekly sports podcast called New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce, produced with Wave Sports + Entertainment.

2022: 10,000 Career Receiving Yards

During the 2022 season, Travis Kelce reached 10,000 career receiving yards, becoming the fifth NFL tight end to reach this milestone and doing so faster than any other tight end in NFL history.

2022: Tru Kolors collaboration with Kansas City Chiefs

In 2022, Travis Kelce's clothing brand Tru Kolors became the first brand by an NFL player to launch an official merchandise collaboration with an NFL franchise: the Kansas City Chiefs.

2022: "New Heights" named Sports Podcast of the Year

In 2022, the New Heights podcast was named the Sports Podcast of the Year by Sports Illustrated.

February 2023: Rise in podcast popularity during Super Bowl LVII

In February 2023, the "New Heights" podcast experienced a rise in popularity when Travis and Jason faced off in Super Bowl LVII.

March 5, 2023: Hosts Saturday Night Live

On March 5, 2023, Travis Kelce hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live.

April 2023: Announcement and first Kelce Jam music festival

In April 2023, Travis Kelce announced the launch of his own annual music festival called Kelce Jam. The first edition was held in Bonner Springs, Kansas during the 2023 NFL draft weekend.

May 2023: Signed with Creative Artists Agency

In May 2023, Travis Kelce signed with Creative Artists Agency for off-the-field representation, while retaining his agent for NFL representation.

September 2023: "New Heights" becomes No. 1 sports podcast in the U.S. and globally

In September 2023, after the premiere of the second season, "New Heights" became the No. 1 sports podcast in the U.S. and the No. 1 sports podcast globally on Spotify as well as No. 1 among all podcasts on Apple.

October 2023: Launched Travis Kelce's Kitchen with Walmart

In October 2023, Travis Kelce and Walmart launched Travis Kelce's Kitchen, a line of seven barbecue products inspired by the flavors of Kansas City.

2023: Super Bowl LVIII Win

During the 2023 season, Travis Kelce surpassed Jerry Rice in career playoff receptions and won Super Bowl LVIII, marking his fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons.

2023: Estimated $5 million in endorsements

In 2023, Business Insider estimated that Travis Kelce makes $5 million a year in off-the-field earnings and stated that "he was one of football's most successful endorsers."

2023: Investment in Alpine Formula One team

In 2023, Travis Kelce joined a group of investors, including actor Ryan Reynolds and teammate Mahomes, to buy a stake in Alpine, a UK-based French Formula One team.

2023: Participated in celebrity golf tournaments

In 2023, Travis Kelce participated in several celebrity golf tournaments, including the American Century Championship, at which he won the long drive contest. He also participated in The Match VIII, teaming up with his Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes against Golden State Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and Mahomes and Kelce won.

2023: Performing "Fight for Your Right" on The Tonight Show

In 2023, Travis Kelce performed the song "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.

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2023: Featured on "Fairytale of Philadelphia" album

In 2023, Travis Kelce was featured with his brother Jason on the cover of "Fairytale of New York" (1987) by the Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, titled "Fairytale of Philadelphia", which appeared on the 2023 album A Philly Special Christmas Special. Proceeds from the album benefitted various charity institutions in Philadelphia.

January 21, 2024: Chiefs-Bills game breaks viewership records

On January 21, 2024, the Chiefs–Buffalo Bills game became the most-watched NFL divisional playoff game ever and the most-watched program on any network since Super Bowl LVII.

April 29, 2024: Kelce signs two-year contract extension

On April 29, 2024, Travis Kelce signed a two-year contract extension with the Chiefs for $34.25 million, becoming the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

2024: Contributed vocals to "It's Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights)"

In 2024, Travis Kelce returned to contribute vocals to the song "It's Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights) on A Philly Special Christmas Party.

2024: Ownership of Garage Beer

In 2024, Travis Kelce teamed up with his brother Jason as significant owners and operators of the light beer company Garage Beer.

2024: Podcast Ranked in US Top 10

In 2024, the podcast "New Heights", co-hosted by Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, was ranked as the 8th most popular podcast in the US on Apple Podcasts.

2024: Second Kelce Jam music festival

In 2024, the second edition of the Kelce Jam music festival saw an attendance of 20,000 fans with headlining performances from 2 Chainz, Diplo and Lil Wayne.