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 for the Kansas City Chiefs. Drafted in 2013, he has become a pivotal player for the team, contributing significantly to their Super Bowl victories in LIV, LVII, and LVIII. Prior to his NFL career, Kelce played college football at the University of Cincinnati. He is considered one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

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.

2011: Jason Kelce drafted to Philadelphia Eagles

In 2011, Andy Reid drafted Jason Kelce to the Philadelphia Eagles.

June 6, 2013: Signed Rookie Contract with 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.

2013: Drafted by Kansas City Chiefs

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

2014: Leading Receiver for the Chiefs

During the 2014 season, Travis Kelce was the Chiefs' leading receiver, totaling 862 yards off 67 receptions.

2015: First Pro Bowl Selection

In 2015, Travis Kelce started all 16 regular season games, recorded 72 catches for 875 yards and five touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.

January 29, 2016: Contract Extension

On January 29, 2016, Travis Kelce signed a five-year, $46 million contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs.

December 20, 2016: Pro Bowl Starter

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

2016: Catching Kelce Premiere

In 2016, Travis Kelce was the namesake of the dating show "Catching Kelce" on E!.

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December 19, 2017: Third Straight Pro Bowl Selection

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

2018: Record Breaking Season

In 2018, Travis Kelce had a record-breaking season, finishing with 103 receptions for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns. He temporarily broke the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season and was named first-team All-Pro.

2019: Reciting "Fight for Your Right" After AFC Championship

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

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2019: Hilo Nutrition Founded

In 2019, Travis Kelce founded his own health brand, Hilo Nutrition, which sells gummy supplements.

2019: Hosted a meet and dance event for the Rose Brooks Center

In 2019, Travis Kelce hosted a meet and dance event to raise funds for the "Rose Brooks Center", a Kansas City-based organization that provides shelter to women, children, and their pets in situations of domestic violence.

2019: Investment in Cholula Hot Sauce

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

2019: Fifth Pro Bowl Selection

In 2019, Travis Kelce recorded his fifth Pro Bowl selection and became the first tight end in NFL history to record four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.

January 2020: Launch of Tru Kolors Clothing Brand

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

August 14, 2020: Signed Contract Extension with the Chiefs

On August 14, 2020, Travis Kelce signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension with the Chiefs through the 2025 season, solidifying his place with the team.

2020: Sale of Cholula Hot Sauce

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

2020: Single Season Receiving Yards Record

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

2021: Release of 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.

August 2022: Launch of "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 Travis 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".

2022: Reached 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 the fastest to do so in NFL history.

2022: Merchandise 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: Sports Podcast of the Year Award

In 2022, the podcast New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce was named the Sports Podcast of the Year by Sports Illustrated.

February 2023: Podcast Popularity Surge

In February 2023, Travis Kelce's podcast, New Heights, experienced a surge in popularity when he and Jason faced off in Super Bowl LVII. It reached No. 1 in Apple sports podcasts and No. 2 among all podcasts on Apple.

April 2023: Launch of Kelce Jam

In April 2023, Travis Kelce announced and launched his annual music festival, Kelce Jam, in Bonner Springs, Kansas during the NFL draft weekend, featuring artists like Machine Gun Kelly and Rick Ross. The event was a sell-out success.

May 2023: Signed with Creative Artists Agency

In May 2023, Travis Kelce signed with Creative Artists Agency for off-the-field representation.

September 2023: "New Heights" Ranks as No. 1 Sports Podcast

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

October 2023: Launch of Travis Kelce's Kitchen

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: Estimated Off-the-Field Earnings

In 2023, Business Insider estimated that Travis Kelce makes $5 million a year in off-the-field earnings.

2023: Release of "Fairytale of Philadelphia"

In 2023, Travis Kelce and his brother Jason were featured on the cover of "Fairytale of Philadelphia", a parody of "Fairytale of New York", released on the album A Philly Special Christmas Special. The song topped the US iTunes chart and reached number five on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart.

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2023: Executive Producer and Acting Role

In 2023, Travis Kelce became an executive producer for the films My Dead Friend Zoe and King Pleasure. He also secured his first major acting role in Ryan Murphy's FX horror series Grotesquerie.

2023: Saturday Night Live Hosting

In 2023, Travis Kelce hosted an episode of "Saturday Night Live".

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2023: Investment in Alpine Formula One Team

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

2023: Performance 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: Super Bowl LVIII Win

In 2023, Travis Kelce surpassed Jerry Rice in career playoff receptions en route to winning Super Bowl LVIII.

2023: Increased Interest in NFL Due to Relationship

In 2023, Travis Kelce's relationship with Taylor Swift stimulated interest in the Chiefs and the NFL, breaking viewership, ticket sales, and merchandise sales records.

January 21, 2024: Most-Watched NFL Divisional Playoff Game

On January 21, 2024, the Chiefs–Buffalo Bills game became the most-watched NFL divisional playoff game ever.

April 29, 2024: Signed Contract Extension with the Chiefs

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

2024: Contributed to Big Slick Charity Event

In 2024, Travis Kelce contributed game-worn Chiefs jerseys to a lot of NFL items that went for $250,000 at the Big Slick charity event and gala, which benefits the Cancer Center at Children's Mercy Hospital.

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

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

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2024: Donated to the family of the Kansas City Parade Shooting Victims

In 2024, Travis Kelce donated $100,000 to the family of two children who were seriously wounded in the 2024 Kansas City parade shooting.

2024: Ownership in 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: New Heights Podcast Ranking

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

2024: Second Edition of Kelce Jam

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

2024: Release of My Dead Friend Zoe

In 2024, the war comedy-drama film 'My Dead Friend Zoe', for which Travis Kelce was the executive producer, was released.

February 27, 2025: Announced plans to play in 2025 season

On February 27, 2025, Travis Kelce announced that he would play in the 2025 season in his final year under contract with Kansas City.

March 2025: Best Sports Podcast Award

In March 2025, the podcast New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce won the Best Sports Podcast award at the iHeartRadio podcast awards.

August 2025: Engagement and Album Announcement

In August 2025, Taylor Swift announced details of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on New Heights. The couple became engaged later that month.

August 2025: Design Collaboration with American Eagle Outfitters

In August 2025, Travis Kelce launched a design collaboration with American Eagle Outfitters.

October 2025: Partnership with Jana Partners to Improve Six Flags

In October 2025, Travis Kelce partnered with activist investment firm Jana Partners to push American theme park company Six Flags to improve its marketing and guest experiences.

October 25, 2025: Broke Franchise Record for Total Touchdowns

On October 25, 2025, in a game against the Denver Broncos, Travis Kelce broke the franchise record for total touchdowns with his eighty-fourth overall, putting the Chiefs ahead.

March 9, 2026: Agreed to a one-year contract with the Chiefs

On March 9, 2026, Travis Kelce agreed to a one-year contract worth $12 million with a maximum value of $15 million with the Chiefs, later extended to three years.