Travis Kelce is officially back on the practice field.
Less than one month after marrying Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end returned to training camp at Missouri Western State University on July 29 and immediately reminded everyone why he remains one of the NFL’s top players.
As Kelce prepares for his 14th season with the Chiefs — a campaign that many believe could be his last — he opened training camp with one of the day’s biggest highlights while earning praise from head coach Andy Reid.
Travis Kelce Makes Immediate Impact at Chiefs Training Camp
Kelce didn’t need long to make his presence felt.
During seven-on-seven drills, he hauled in a fingertip catch from quarterback Patrick Mahomes between two linebackers, producing one of the standout plays from the Chiefs’ first full-squad practice.
Reid joked afterward that Kelce appeared to have returned in excellent condition despite celebrating one of the biggest moments of his personal life earlier this month.
“He looked pretty good. He stayed in shape,” Reid told reporters before adding with a smile, “He did a lot of dancing at his wedding.”
Beyond his production on the field, Reid emphasized the example Kelce continues to set for younger players entering the organization.
“He works so hard, and he wants to be in there,” Reid said. “For a young guy to look at that … it’s hard for them to make an excuse to take a rep off, because he’s out there going.”
The Future NFL Hall-of-Famer Stayed Busy Long Before Reporting to Camp
Although training camp officially began this week, Kelce’s preparation started months ago.
He attended the Chiefs’ mandatory three-day minicamp from June 9 through June 11, choosing to remain with the team instead of attending Swift’s appearance at the “Toy Story 5” premiere in Los Angeles.
The Chiefs highlighted his work by posting a video of the veteran catching passes during practice with the caption, “87 at work.”
Reid praised the team’s attendance and effort throughout minicamp.
“It’s great to get these young guys in and our new players incorporated in the offense, defense and special teams,” Reid said at the time. “I like the effort that they put forward — the veterans included. We had great attendance for everything, so that was a plus, too.”
Later in June, Kelce traveled to Nashville for Tight End University, the annual summit he co-founded with San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle and former NFL tight end Greg Olsen. The event brings together many of the league’s top tight ends for workouts, film study and mentoring sessions.
Travis Kelce’s Offseason Included the Wedding of the Year and Intense Training
Kelce’s offseason reached another milestone when he married Swift on July 3 before quickly returning to football preparation.
Within weeks of the ceremony, he was back training in Miami with longtime performance coaches ahead of training camp.
Longtime NFL star Cris Carter, now Florida Atlantic University’s Director of Player Development, shared a photo with Kelce on social media after one of those workouts.
“Andrew and I started with Travis before his rookie year in the NFL. Know the 🐐 is preparing for THE LAST DANCE. Next stop Canton/HOF,” Carter wrote, referencing speculation that Kelce’s 14th season could be his final one before an eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame career.
Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, previously told People that her son’s offseason routine begins well before the team gathers for camp.
“He always goes into his own routine with training, and it’s brutal,” she said. “Then he goes to actual training camp. He has to get ready before he goes to training camp. It’s a long process. It’s months to get ready. That’s what he’s doing right now.”
The Chiefs will open the preseason against the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium on Aug. 15, then face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 22 and the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 28.
Kansas City opens the regular season at home against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14
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