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To say things have been good in the life of Travis Kelce this season would be putting it lightly.
On the field, the Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tight end posted one of the most dominant historical performances at his position, breaking George Kittle’s single-season receiving record while finishing second in the NFL in receiving yards (1,416). Off the field, Kelce was selected as the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year honoree, reunited with ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole and signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension to stay in Kansas City for potentially the remainder of his career.
However, his newfound security comes on the heels of some commendable personal growth over the last decade, which has bared witness to Kelce’s transformation from being kicked off of his college football team and making a classic rookie mistake when he first “made it” to the league.
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Travis Kelce on Rookie Contract: ‘I Spent It All!’
In a recent interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, Kelce was asked about the first thing he purchased after signing his rookie contract in 2013 (worth $3.12 million), but instead made a pretty candid admission.
“Man, I spent it all,” Kelce revealed to Sharpe on Tuesday, via TMZ Sports. “I should’ve been on the [ESPN] ’30 for 30: Broke’ the way I was spending. All the young guys in the league, all the guys that have the opportunity to get that big first check from the NFL — save it. Find a financial advisor that you trust, that’s gonna do right with your money because I was searching around for car deals after my first year trying to just pay rent.”
So what exactly was Kelce’s first purchase as a then-24-year-old millionaire?
“One of the first things I bought — I’m a big sneaker fan,” Kelce said. “The Marty McFlys — the Back to the Future, the Nike Air Mags were the first purchase of kicks that I got. I knew I wanted them ever since I saw them self-tie themselves on McFly’s feet.
“On top of that, I always wanted a Rollie [Rolex], man. So I went out and got myself a Rollie from a Kansas City jewelry shop. I was walking in this empty apartment with some Marty McFlys on and a Rolex. I felt like the coolest guy in the world, man.”
Kelce’s initial buy makes sense considering his impressive sneaker collection, which fans caught a glimpse of during a Zoom interview this past May.
Andy Reid Proud of Kelce’s Development
Following Kansas City’s Week 16 win over the Atlanta Falcons and Kelce surpassing Kittle’s single-season mark for receiving yards by a tight end (1,377), head coach Andy Reid expressed admiration for the 31-year-old star.
“Listen, I’m so proud of him in so many ways, on and off the field,” Reid told reporters on December 27. “He’s just a heck of a football player and a great person too, and he keeps it alive. For the young guys to see this guy that he’s getting up there in age but gets excited for every opportunity he has I think is a special deal. He’s done a nice job and made a nice career of this thing, like I said, on and off the field, and kind of growing up right before us.”
With Reid recently signing a six-year extension (along with Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year megadeal) to remain in Kansas City, the trio is set up to continue breaking offensive records and possibly challenge for the title of the NFL’s next dynasty.
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!
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Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Admits to Making Major Mistake as a Rookie