Travis Kelce
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Tight End | University of Cincinnati | 12 |
EXCELLENCE ON THE FIELD
A three-time Super Bowl Champion, Kelce has exemplified excellence in his storied 12-year career. Entering the 2024 campaign, he caught a pass in 158 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history. His 11,328 receiving yards rank him as the leading receiver in Chiefs history and fourth among league tight ends, making him only the second Chiefs player to exceed 11,000 combined yards, second to only Dante Hall (12,356). Kelce also began the year with 74 career receiving touchdowns, a mere three away from HOF Tony Gonzalez (76) for the most by a Chief. Between Kelce and QB Patrick Mahomes, the pair began 2024 with 51 touchdown connections, tied for the third-most QB-tight end touchdown connections in league history. Kelce additionally holds the record for most receptions by any NFL tight end in their first 10 seasons with 814 catches while his 37 regular season games of 100 receiving yards or more is the most such games by a tight end in NFL history. In postseason play, he leads all league tight ends with 19 receiving touchdowns and 165 receptions, marking the highest by any league pass catcher.
POSITIVE CHARACTER & A LIFESTYLE OF GIVING BACK
Since the inception of the 87 & Running Foundation in 2015, Kelce has exemplified a spirit of benevolence. Kelce started the 87 & Running Foundation inspired by his childhood experiences. Growing up in the diverse suburb of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, he saw how his community transcended economic and cultural boundaries, merging rich and poor, Black and white, and various religious affiliations into one big melting pot. He noticed that some of his closest friends didn't have the same family structure he was blessed with and weren't able to enjoy the same experiences. While supported by "the village" of family and individuals in the community, Kelce struggled in school and at times lacked motivation. Hence, his Foundation, 87 & Running helps underserved youth strive to become productive citizens by mentoring and motivating them to explore their abilities while learning critical life skills. The organization remains dedicated to providing resources and enrichment opportunities for youth and their communities through fundraising, athletic programs, mentoring, and outreach initiatives. His dedication to the kids of Kansas City and Operation Breakthrough will leave a lasting legacy off the field. Yet, real leadership never considers the job done, and he'll be the first to say there's more to do. For the Ignition Lab high school seniors, the person who thinks he hasn't yet done enough has given them hope and tangible skills for a bright future—and that is enough.
DEDICATION & COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY EFFORTS
THIS YEAR
The seeds of Kelce's community impact were planted four years ago when he purchased a vacant muffler shop. His vision was to transform it into a unique incubator for inner-city students, providing them with real-world career experience and life skills. Today, the inaugural class of the "Ignition Lab" at Operation Breakthrough is set to graduate high school, armed with work experience, internships, improved grades, industry skills, credentials, and newfound hope. "I was able to switch from being someone who didn't have any ideas for the future to someone who has ideas about exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I'm going to do it," Ignition Lab student, Amira said. "Before I didn't see opportunity in absolutely anything and now, I see it everywhere." Kelce and 87 & Running recognized that lasting impact requires continuous investment. Through his dedication of time, money, and resources, along with the efforts of staff and volunteers, the Lab has thrived from its inaugural class and beyond. The number of students served by the Ignition Lab has grown 350% since its inception and now includes students from seven urban-area high schools. In four years, Ignition Lab students have launched three entrepreneurial businesses—a food truck, a hydroponic farm, and a digital media studio. These ventures not only teach business skills, but also provide wages that significantly support their families, whose average yearly income is $12,000. Each Ignition Lab student also completes a Financial Literacy course and has presented over 1,500 capstone projects to community leaders. Industry skills that are acquired by students that participate in the Ignition Lab and Operation Breakthrough include computer repair skills, culinary skills (such as health and safety, knife skills, and food handling), digital media skills (such as music production, podcasting, film and editing), and various other skills. In 2023-24 alone, Ignition Lab teens completed over 25,000 hours of mentoring for younger students as part of summer school teaching teams. Kelce has rallied local support around the Ignition Lab, with many businesses and organizations partnering with Ignition Lab students for internships and special projects. He's made sure his promise to the KC community four years ago was always at the forefront of everything he did through 87 & Running – forging something that will last long after #87 hangs it up.
IN YEARS PAST
Shortly after arriving in Kansas City, Kelce focused his charitable efforts on partnering with Operation Breakthrough. In addition to aiding those living in poverty, 65% of the children reached by Operation Breakthrough have experienced trauma or witnessed violence by the age of five. This agency has candidly described its mission as serving "the poorest of the poor" in Kansas City. "My vision has always been to give these teens in KC's underserved neighborhoods a safe haven," Kelce noted. "A place where they are exposed to interests and role models far beyond the field or court. Kids can't concentrate if they don't feel safe. They can't envision a career they've never heard of or learn a skill they've never been taught." Beyond his initial support of Operation Breakthrough to purchase and transform an abandoned muffler shop into a working Ignition Lab, Kelce has continued to support the charity in various ways. His foundation previously helped Operation Breakthrough keep its doors open during the pandemic and helped generate thousands of meals for Operation Breakthrough's food- insecure population who were directly affected. Kelce has also been highly involved with various other charitable efforts throughout his time in the NFL. His efforts have included visits with youth to encourage healthy lifestyles, promoting the values of youth football, headlining morale visits with first responders, and lending his time and voice to area food banks to fight food insecurity, just to name a few. As a result of his efforts, he's been recognized by multiple organizations and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as their Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee in 2020.
