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Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches a pass against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Why Loose Kelce Says He’s ‘Ready to Rock, Baby’

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Zak Gilbert | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 12:46 PM ET

Travis Kelce opened his Brazil press conference Thursday morning with an impressive impression of the quarterback sitting three feet to his left.

“He had that one coming for telling everybody I didn't know where Brazil was ,” Kelce explained, after Patrick Mahomes said Sunday he had to explain to his tight end how the globe worked.

Fortunately, the pilot knew how the globe worked, allowing the Chiefs to arrive safely late Wednesday night in São Paulo, Brazil. The Mahomes dig and Kelce’s response were the latest indications that they’re a loose group entering Friday’s season-opener against the Chargers (7 p.m. CT, YouTube, KSHB-TV 41, 96.5 The Fan).

Year 13 carries more distractions

Since Pat McAfee officially read a text from Kelce live on air, making the tight end’s return official, Kelce has been a publicity machine that would’ve impressed even Babe Ruth. He’s dating the most popular woman in the world, Taylor Swift. Their engagement late last month became the world’s No. 1 news story.

Kelce hosts Swift and other guests on the world’s most consumed podcast. He even posed with Florida alligators for a cover story in the September edition of GQ. And in two weeks, he’ll open a Kansas City steakhouse to celebrate Mahomes’ 30th birthday. So, how can he be focused on helping the Chiefs win?

“It looks all the same to us,” head coach Andy Reid said Thursday morning, referring to Kelce’s work ethic and focus at practice. “So, he he's in a good place. He’s worked very hard this training camp, during the offseason, and I know he looks forward to getting started. No differences.”

That’s good, because Kelce needs only three touchdown receptions to become the fourth tight end ever with 100 career (including playoffs). He’d join Hall of Famers Antonio Gates (118) and former Chief Tony Gonzalez (115) as well as Rob Gronkowski (107).

NFL's most prominent player?

And off the field, Kelce is quickly becoming the world’s most prominent NFL player. He knows it’s primarily due to his new fiancé, but don’t think that’s a distraction. Neither is entering the last year of his contract.

“Ever since I've been dating Taylor, life has been fun,” Kelce said Thursday. “It's been exciting. Obviously, a lot more eyes, and I accept that. But it's just, I'm living, living life, living on a high dream for me. Man, it's the last year on the contract right now, but I'll tell you what, I'm feeling young and I'm feeling ready to rock, baby.”

Another post-retirement job?

Obviously, Friday could be the final Week 1 game of his 13-year career. And if Kelce does retire, the future Hall of Famer said he’d be interested in a future role assisting the first U.S. national flag-football team. While Mahomes worried that the quarterback might be too old by then, Kelce wants to represent his country at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in a more unconventional role.

“I'll have to be the water boy or something,” Kelce quipped. “I'm getting a gold medal, though. It'll be nice.

“Trainer Trav, nice to meet you guys.”