Travis Kelce has little left to prove as he prepares for his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs, but the 36-year-old isn’t approaching practice that way.
The Chiefs wrapped up their 2026 training camp on Thursday, August 20, and head coach Andy Reid singled out Kelce while discussing the example his veterans set for a Kansas City roster that is now the second-youngest in the NFL.
According to Reid, coaches sometimes had to intervene to get Kelce to slow down.
“You have examples like Kelce, he’s the oldest guy on the team and came out every day and worked to where you had to yank him out of there to give him a breather,” Reid told reporters.
Kelce’s approach also caught the attention of linebacker Nick Bolton, another established member of the Chiefs’ roster.
“There’s no excuses when you have the old guy out there running routes and stuff like that,” Bolton said of Kelce. “It’s been fun to watch him work.”
Travis Kelce Sets ‘No Excuses’ Example for Chiefs’ Young Roster
Kelce is entering his 14th NFL season after the Chiefs selected him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. With Kansas City getting younger around him, Reid pointed to the tight end’s willingness to work every day as an example for the rest of the team.
Bolton also discussed the importance of veteran players continuing to practice even when they aren’t feeling perfect physically.
“Obviously he’s getting a bit older, the resiliency to show up every single day even if he doesn’t feel 100%, give as much as he can — 100% of what he has,” Bolton said. “No excuses when you got an old guy out there.”
Kelce’s 2026 training camp has also reunited him with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who returned to Kansas City this offseason.
Reid said that relationship has brought some familiar entertainment back to Chiefs practices.
“He likes to give EB the business and that’s always entertaining too,” Reid said. “So, it keeps everybody on their toes.”
Kelce made it clear earlier in camp that he was equally happy to have Bieniemy back.
“One, you’ve got intensity. Intensity is the first thing and that intensity is infectious,” Kelce told reporters on August 12. “And I love that (expletive). It’s one of my favorite things about him. I don’t think there’s enough of that in the world, let alone in this building.”
Kelce added that Bieniemy’s demanding coaching style can make players better.
“He’s one of those guys where his accountability is gonna piss you off,” Kelce said. “But if you treat it the right way and you act the right way, respond the right way with it, you’re gonna become better, and it’s gonna make the team a better team.”
“It’s one of those things I think we really missed here in Kansas City,” Kelce added.
Eric Bieniemy Opens Up About Travis Kelce & Patrick Mahomes’ Support
Bieniemy also spoke about his relationship with Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes after returning to the Chiefs following an absence for a serious family matter.
Bieniemy told reporters Tuesday that Kelce and Mahomes reached out to support him while he was away from the team.
“It means a lot. I have known those guys for what seems like forever now,” Bieniemy said. “You develop these relationships and these bonds; you become members of each other’s families. It means a lot to not only have great players, but more importantly, great people who happen to be great players who care about you. Not just as a coach, but as a person and a family man. It means a lot.”
Bieniemy has a lengthy history with both players. His first stint in Kansas City began in 2013, the same year the Chiefs drafted Kelce. He served as running backs coach through 2017 before becoming offensive coordinator in 2018, which also marked Mahomes’ first season as Kansas City’s starting quarterback.
Andy Reid Reveals Chiefs Had to ‘Yank’ Travis Kelce Out of Practice During Training Camp