The 35-year-old Chiefs tight end told reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 6, that past disappointments can’t shake his feelings on what’s to come for the 2025-2026 NFL season, as he enters his 13th year in the league.
“I’ve thrown that thing in the trash,” the pro athlete told ESPN in regards to the Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX in February. “I’ve moved on. It happened sooner than you can imagine. I was pretty focused on this year in the offseason.”
Kelce explained that with sports come good days and bad days.
“You’ve got to go through the dog days and enjoy it for what it is, man,” Kelce said. “We’re rocking and rolling, man. It’s training camp, so you’re going to feel the soreness and the heavy workload you’re getting every day. You’ve got to enjoy it for what it is and fight through that.”
Although last year may have come as a blow, Kelce previously won Super Bowls LIV in 2020, LVII in 2023 and LVIII in 2024 with the Chiefs, and is hopeful that the future will bring more.
“Football has always been the biggest driving force I’ve ever had. I love coming out here and focusing on this and getting better for another run at hopefully a Super Bowl,” he said.
Coach Andy Reid recently said his player is in tip-top shape.
“He’s svelte right now. He looks like he’s 20,” Reid, 67, said two weeks ago, per ESPN. “He’s doing a good job and he’s in great shape. I’m not sure he didn’t come in first on the whole conditioning thing. He was right up front. You can see he’s been working out. He’s worked hard to get to this spot.”
Kelce’s new physique may also have to do with the football player landing a role in Happy Gilmore 2.
In late July, Netflix released a behind-the-scenes clip of Kelce standing shirtless with Bad Bunny in the Adam Sandler-led movie as the “MONACO” artist humorously tied him up and put honey all over the sports star, before a person in a bear suit appeared.
Outside of football, Kelce has been spending time with his superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift.
The pop star, also 35, and Kelce first sparked dating rumors in September 2023 before confirming their relationship the following month. They also spent time together during Kelce’s off-season, which coincided with the end of her Eras Tour.
They’ve even “talked about the future a lot,” a source told PEOPLE exclusively last month.
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The source added, “They’re in a really solid place and more in sync than ever. They’re both all in,” the insider added.
Swift made her debut on Kelce’s Instagram account in a recent 13-photo dump.
The source explained, “Travis posting Taylor on his Instagram for the first time wasn’t random, it was intentional. They’ve been private in their own way, but this was his way of showing how serious things have become.”
