Arrowhead Pride
The Hall of Fame tight end has evolved from Andy Reid’s chess piece to an extension of the culture Reid established in Kansas City.
Over five years ago, I wrote an article for Arrowhead Pride detailing the evolution of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce to the team’s veteran leader.
The once young, fiery playmaker found a way to channel that energy more positively by the time the Chiefs transitioned to Patrick Mahomes as the starting quarterback in 2018.
Since that turning point in Kelce’s career, the franchise that drafted him has experienced nothing but overwhelming success and has extended him twice over his 12-year NFL career. Head coach Andy Reid invested in Kelce’s talent in the 2013 NFL Draft, knowing he could weaponize him on the field. However, Reid’s disciplined, committed approach to winning eventually spread to Kelce.
During a press conference on Thursday, Kelce recalled his earlier years with Reid, pointing out that his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, warned him about the potential culture shock.
“The biggest thing from my brother was ‘take advantage of the opportunity. He’s an unbelievable coach, he is a player’s coach, but at the same time he is going to hold you accountable,’” Kelce remembered. “The first year or two I was with coach Reid, I was like ‘this guy is not messing around.’ There wasn’t too much of the personality that I see now.
“He is like a father figure to me, he’s like one of my uncles growing up that I respect so much because of who he is. I owe everything to that man and my career, where it has gone, where I was at Cincinnati and where I’m at now, I have nothing but respect for coach Reid and how he has helped me get to where I am in life.”
Reid has arguably maximized Kelce's career, helping him build a legacy that will be remembered for more than just his incredible talent. At the same time, the level that Kelce bought into Reid’s message has boosted the resume of the all-time coach.
Both understand and share an end goal: winning. Kelce had to learn that over time.
“Early on in my career, a lot of my motivation was driven off of individual success,” Kelce reflected. “Wanting to get that acknowledgement of my peers, of the people watching the game that I was somebody fun to watch or worth watching.”
“Nowadays, I just love going to work with the guys that I’m in the building with, I love sharing these memories, I love figuring out these game plans, figuring out how we’re going to attack a defense, there’s just a certain love I’ve found with, and I think it’s because of the people I go to work with.”
The longevity of Kelce’s career has given him opportunities to lead through times of change. This year, that change didn’t stop in the summer; the Chiefs added players after training camp and through the season. That...
