Had it not been for Ed Kelce and his tough-love approach to parenting, his sons could’ve very well followed in his footsteps: sales representatives in the steel industry. Instead, the NFL community has gotten to witness two future Hall of Famers in Jason and Travis Kelce, all because of an ultimatum Ed gave them…

Before each of their senior years in high school, Ed took his sons to a steel mill and said, “Look around. You can do this for the rest of your life or follow in your mom’s footsteps” (Donna was a successful banker). “You’ll make the most of this education, or I’ll buy you both a pair of steel-toed boots.” That was all Jason and Travis needed to lock in and deliver. And look where it’s led them!

While Jason may have retired as an Eagles legend, Travis is continuing to redefine boundaries, redefine what’s possible for a tight end in professional football. And as the Chiefs star does that, we’re not just witnessing statistics being rewritten—we’re watching history unfold. In what seemed like just another typical Chiefs game (if there is such a thing), the 35-year-old tight end reminded us why he’s not just playing football – he’s crafting his legacy with every catch.

With a seemingly routine 19-yard reception from his partner-in-crime, Patrick Mahomes, Kelce didn’t just move the chains; he moved past NFL legend Antonio Gates on the all-time receiving yards list for tight ends. He has now amassed an incredible 11,854 career receiving yards, bulldozing past Gates to claim the third spot in the all-time tight end receiving yards rankings.

While Kelce may have gotten off to a slow start this season, he’s coming into his own with every game. After the Chiefs’ first loss of the campaign came against the Bills last weekend, the team returned to winning ways against the Panthers. But it was an extremely close game. With less than 2 minutes left to play, the Panthers tied the game at 27-27 with a 2-point conversion. But an 8-year drive to Kelce and a 33-yard run scramble later, Mahomes got the Chiefs in prime position to go 10-1. And that’s what they did.

With a 31-yard field goal, courtesy of Spencer Shrader, the Chiefs took victory in Charlotte. “Good game, guys. Good game,” Travis Kelce told the Panthers coaches as he walked down the tunnel. And while he may have failed to haul in a touchdown in a game for the 9th time this season, his 6-of-8 targets for 62 yards certainly helped Kansas City win 30-27… and propelled him up the record ladder.

Right now, Kelce sits in 5th for tight ends in career receiving touchdowns, racking up 76. He’s got a bit of a climb ahead of him, trailing behind legends like Danny Gates (116), Tony Gonzalez (111), Rob Gronkowski (92), and Jimmy Graham (89). His success comes from a cool mix of his playing style and physical skills, which really sets him apart among the best tight ends.

Even with such impressive numbers, Kelce always has that drive to do more for his team. Looking at his 2024 season, he’s got 62 catches on 80 targets, totaling 507 yards and 2 touchdowns. His average of 8.2 yards per catch may not be great, but it has helped the Chiefs get the job done when it’s mattered. And this win did matter because it made Kansas City the first team in the AFC to reach double-digit victories this campaign, something Travis Kelce was extremely pleased about (if his post-game Instagram post was anything to go by).

Sharing a carousel that included images from the game, Kelce captioned the post, “Double-digit dubs!!” But what caught a lot of fans’ attention was the picture of his game-day outfit – a red and blue flannel shirt with corduroy pants, complete with a white bucket hat. The flannel was what piqued many fans’ interest, considering the plaid pattern is something his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, has been sporting quite often these days.

But let’s come back to Travis for a second… and the history he’s made over the years. Here’s a list of some of his records: –

• Most receptions as a Chiefs tight end (969)
• Most receiving yards as a Chiefs tight end (11.854)
• Most career postseason receptions as a Chiefs tight end (165)
• Most receiving yards by a tight end in a season (1,416 in 2020)
• Most receptions by a tight end in their first 10 seasons (814)
• Most consecutive and overall seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards by a tight end (7)
• Most 100-yard games by a tight end (37)

It’s safe to say that he wouldn’t have been the player he is had it not been for Ed Kelce. And it’s also safe to say that Papa Kelce has been there for almost every big moment in Travis’ career. But as for the Panthers game, it looks like he had other commitments.

Ed Kelce finally made an Eras Tour appearance to watch Taylor Swift!

The Eras Tour has been a global phenomenon ever since Taylor Swift kicked it off in March 2023. In fact, had it not been for the tour, there’s every chance that she and Travis Kelce wouldn’t have met. After all, it was how the tight end “adorably” (as Swift put it) called the pop star out on his podcast for not meeting him last July when the concert was at Arrowhead Stadium that led to them dating.

And since then, every member of the Kelce clan – be it Travis, Jason, Donna, Kylie, or even her and Jason’s kids – has been to the concert. Well, almost. This weekend, Taylor Swift was in Toronto for the second-last stop in the tour. Seeing as he’d never been to one of her shows before, Ed Kelce flew to Canada, got dressed up in a suit, and headed to Rogers Center on Saturday to get his very first experience of the show Swift puts on.

Now, Ed Kelce doesn’t make a lot of public appearances unless they have to do with attending Chiefs’ games (and formerly, Eagles’ games). So, the fact that he chose to attend Night 6 in Toronto, a city not even in the US, would’ve meant a whole lot to the pop icon. And by the looks of it, Papa Kelce enjoyed his time there, even engaging in the Eras Tour tradition of trading friendship bracelets with attendees!

After the show started, he was in the VIP section with Swift’s mom, Andrea, watching the 34-year-old light up the stage. So, instead of attending his son’s game this weekend and watching him make history, Ed Kelce headed to Canada to watch Taylor Swift make history, capping off 6 sold-out shows in Rogers Center!