KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — It’s difficult to go anywhere these days without hearing or seeing something about Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce or his younger brother, Travis Kelce, the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs’ great tight end.
“People” magazine named the former one of the “Sexiest Men Alive” recently. The latter is dating Grammy winner Taylor Swift.
They co-host one of America’s hottest podcasts, contributed to a Philly-themed Christmas record, and have transcended the NFL to become pop culture icons in their own right.
Even their family matriarch, Donna Kelce, has become an endorsement powerhouse in the last year.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” confessed Jason Kelce, who will try to beat Travis and the Chiefs for the first time when the Eagles visit Arrowhead Stadium for a rematch of the Super Bowl on Monday night.
“It kind of started last year with the podcast and everything, and I think it continued to grow more and more.”
Since the Chiefs rallied to defeat the Eagles for the Lombardi Trophy in February, it’s been on overdrive.
Many football fans began to flock to their podcast, “New Heights, with Jason and Travis Kelce,” where the brothers revealed their lives behind their masks. With a breathtakingly disarming sense of humor, the Kelces rap on everything from what happened that week in the NFL to what transpired in the worlds of TV and entertainment.
That was also around the time when people began to embrace Donna, who had always made an effort to attend both of her boys’ games, including those against each other, but had never been under such a limelight. She famously donned a half-Eagles, half-Chiefs jersey to the Super Bowl, and it’s unlikely she won’t do it again on Monday night.
Suddenly, the Kelce brothers began to appear on late-night television shows. Playing in made-for-TV golf tournaments.
Raising millions of dollars for charitable causes. And yes, rubbing elbows with singers, actors and the Hollywood elite.
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Millions of dollars have been raised for philanthropic causes. And, sure, rubbing shoulders with singers, actors, and Hollywood’s elite.
“You just try to take it one game at a time,” Jason Kelce said, employing that well-worn cliché to describe how he deals with the commotion. “You try to keep things grounded. You try to be realistic about it. You make an effort to be the same person you are.”
Undaunted, he invited the diva to see him perform at Arrowhead Stadium, and after she accepted the invitation earlier this season, the two have been spotted together all over the world.
This includes Buenos Aires, where Kelce took advantage of the Chiefs’ bye week last weekend to attend her concert. Swift not only modified one of her lines — “Karma is the guy on the screen” became “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs” — but she also sprinted off the stage to kiss him after finishing a song.
“We’re learning with the paparazzi just taking photos from all over the place,” he said. “You have a lot of people who care about Taylor, and with reason. Just keep living, learning, and enjoying the time.”
Both brothers have had a lot of good ones on the field.
The Eagles are 8-1 and led the NFC heading into the weekend, while the Chiefs are 7-2 and lead the AFC. While both teams have a long way to go, nobody would be surprised if they met again for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
The NFL would have no objections to it.
Despite playing two of the game’s least glamorous positions, the Kelce brothers’ off-the-field activities have undoubtedly attracted a large number of new football fans.
