What Position Does Travis Kelce Play? All You Need to Know about Chiefs’ Star

Travis Kelce attended UC from 2008-2012. Let's see what position he plays for in the National Football League.

By Blesson Daniel

Published on Aug 16, 2024 | 10:19 PM IST | 59.7K

Travis Kelce [Credit-Getty]

Travis Kelce was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, United States. He is an NFL record-breaking tight end who has helped the Kansas City Chiefs win three Super Bowls (2020, 2023, and 2024).

With tremendous athleticism and the ability to read zone coverages, he accumulated more than 1,000 receiving yards in seven straight seasons, an unheard record for a tight end. Kelce, who is telegenic and charming, is well-known outside of American football, and his fan base has grown significantly when he began dating music diva Taylor Swift in 2023.

What position does Travis Kelce play?

Travis Kelce plays the Tight End position for the Kansas City Chiefs. In the National Football League (NFL), tight ends are bigger, stronger, and slower than wide receivers, allowing them to block more successfully. Tight ends, like fullbacks, are responsible for blocking for both running backs and receivers. Tight ends serve as blockers, protecting the quarterback on passing plays, opening gaps in the line, and tying up linebackers and defensive backs downfield.

Historically, a single tight end was used, typically placed on the right side of the offensive line. In the early 2000s two tight end formations began to be used with more frequency. Specialty plays may deploy 3- or 4-tight-end sets in "heavy" or "jumbo" packages, usually to block in short-yardage situations or to sow confusion in the defensive backfield with such an unusual formation.

When a blocker larger than a tight end is desired without sacrificing the player's ability to catch a pass the position is sometimes filled by an offensive lineman who reports to the referee that he is an eligible receiver, referred to colloquially as a "tackle eligible."

Travis Kelce has been with Chiefs’ since 2013
Kelce was taken 63rd overall by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. Some scouts had questioned his integrity as a result of the drug ban, but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid contacted Jason Kelce, whom he had drafted while Reid was the Eagles' head coach, to speak for his younger brother. Travis Kelce eventually chose 87 as his jersey number in honor of his brother's birth year (1987).

Kelce made his NFL debut in 2013 but played only one game due to a knee injury. He returned the next season, scoring his first NFL touchdown in the third game. That year, he scored four more touchdowns and accumulated 862 receiving yards.

Kelce was chosen to his first Pro Bowl in 2015, and he quickly rose to the ranks of the NFL's top players. From 2016 to 2022, he was a favorite target of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, averaging more than 1,000 receiving yards every season, a record for tight ends. Kelce has 1,229 receiving yards in 2019, helping the club win the American Football Conference West Division for the fourth year in a row.

With his excellent play, the Chiefs comfortably proceeded to the playoffs, and in Super Bowl LIV, held in February 2020, the club defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. Kelce caught six catches for 43 yards and one touchdown. "Travis is definitely the best player I've thrown to," Mahomes told Vanity Fair in 2023. "With how big he is and the way he is able to run routes and make plays happen, is a really rare thing."

Also Read: Travis Kelce Taylor Swift Age Difference: Exploring Age Gap Between the Pop Icon and Chiefs Star