Travis Kelce’s Net Worth: How the NFL Star Built $90 Million.
What is Travis Kelce’s net worth and salary?
Travis Kelce is a well-known American football player with a net worth of around $90 million. He plays as a tight end and began his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. Considered one of the best tight ends of all time, he played a key role in helping the Chiefs win titles of the Super Bowl in LIV and LVII.
Kelce also set several NFL records, including being the fastest tight end to reach 10,000 career receiving yards. In September 2023, he was confirmed to be dating Taylor Swift, especially after she started showing up at his matches. Their relationship, along with the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory, made headlines in the United States that year.
Salary and career earnings
During his first decade in the NFL, Travis raked in just under $80 million in salary. In 2013, he signed a four-year contract worth $3.12 million with the Chiefs. Then, in 2016, he got a five-year extension for $46 million, with $22 million guaranteed, averaging about $14 million per year. Fast forward to late April 2024, and Travis signed a two-year extension with the Chiefs for $34.25 million, bringing his average annual salary to $17.125 million.
At the end of this deal, his total NFL earnings will exceed $100 million. In addition to this, he earns around $5 million per year from the endorsement of brands such as McDonald’s, Nike, Papa John’s, Bud Light, State Farm and others.
$100 million podcast deal
In 2022, the Kelce brothers launched a weekly podcast called “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.” Fast forward to August 2024, and they’ve landed a massive 3-year, $100 million deal with Amazon’s Wondery podcast service to host their show there. This agreement allows Wondery to manage the distribution and sale of advertisements for its successful podcast.
Early childhood and high school
Travis Kelce was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, to parents Donna and Ed. He has an older brother, Jason, who also made a name for himself in the NFL. During his teenage years, Kelce attended Cleveland Heights High School, where he played football, baseball, and basketball. He really shined in football by taking on the role of quarterback. During his senior year, he earned All-Lake Erie League honors after racking up 2,539 total offensive yards.
RELATED: Travis Kelce’s Dad Plans Heartfelt Birthday Surprise for Taylor Swift.
Academic career
Travis decided to attend the University of Cincinnati, where he joined his brother on the Bearcats football team. After missing his freshman year in 2008, he made his mark in 2009 with eight carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns. However, in 2010 he faced a setback with a season-long suspension due to a failed drug test. He bounced back in 2011, setting personal bests with 45 receptions and 722 receiving yards.
Kansas City Chiefs
In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round. His rookie season was cut short when he landed on injured reserve in mid-October after undergoing knee surgery. However, he made a strong comeback in 2014, scoring his first NFL touchdown and accumulating over 100 receiving yards in a game for the first time.
At the end of that season, he was the Chiefs’ leading receiver with 862 yards. Early in the 2015 season, Kelce had his first multi-touchdown game in a win over the Houston Texans, helping the Chiefs finish the regular season with an 11-5 record. Unfortunately, they lost to the New England Patriots in the divisional round.
Kelce continued to shine in 2016, posting personal bests with 1,125 receiving yards and 85 catches. The Chiefs dominated the AFC West with a 12-4 record, but once again they were eliminated in the divisional round, this time by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2017, Kelce set a new career high with eight receiving touchdowns and ranked second among tight ends with 1,038 receiving yards. The Chiefs reached the Wild Card Round but were eliminated by the Tennessee Titans and Kelce had to leave the game with a concussion. He bounced back in 2018, helping the Chiefs secure first place in the AFC West and reach the AFC Championship, where they lost to the Patriots.
The 2019 season was a big one for Kelce and the Chiefs. In a late-season game against the Chicago Bears, he became the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions. At the end of the season, he also made history as the first tight end to have four consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
The Chiefs made it through the Divisional Round and the AFC Championship, eventually winning Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 31-20. They returned to the Super Bowl the following year but were defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losing 31-9.
In 2021, Kelce broke or added several records, including becoming the tight end with the most 1,000-yard seasons, reaching six. In the final game of the regular season, he made history as the fastest tight end to reach 9,000 career yards in the NFL. The Chiefs won both the Wild Card round and the divisional round, but fell short against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship.
Fast forward to 2022, Kelce was once again a key player in leading his team to the playoffs, eventually reaching Super Bowl LVII where they faced the Philadelphia Eagles. This game was special because it marked the first Super Bowl with two brothers on rival teams, with Jason Kelce playing for the Eagles. In the end, the Chiefs triumphed with a score of 38-35.
Approvals
Travis earns an additional $5 million per year from endorsements on top of his NFL salary, through partnerships with various companies.
McDonald’s
Nike
Papa John’s
Bud light
Sleep number
Tide
State farm
Dick’s Sporting Goods
T-Mobile
Experienced
Old spice
Pfizer
Walgreens
DirectTV
Did Travis Kelce make $20 million from Pfizer?
In September 2023, Travis began his role as a spokesperson for Pfizer to help promote their COVID vaccine educational campaign. He announced the partnership with an Instagram post encouraging everyone to get the COVID-19 booster, and soon after, ads began airing during NFL games.
This campaign, as well as his work for Bud Light, received backlash from conservative groups. Some tweets claiming that Travis received $20 million for the Pfizer deal went viral, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Based on similar partnerships, it’s more realistic to estimate that the deal is worth around $1-2 million.
Casa Azul Tequila
Travis became an equity investor in Casa Azul Tequila in February 2023. Casa Azul was created by the same team behind Core Water and Fuze Tea. Fast forward to October 2023, and Taylor Swift was spotted enjoying a Casa Azul tequila in a private box during one of Travis’ matches.
Media appearances
Outside of football, Kelce has had some memorable moments in the media. In 2016, he was the star of the E! reality TV show “Catching Kelce”, where he chose Maya Benberry as the winner, although they split in early 2017. After winning Super Bowl LVII in 2023, Kelce hosted an episode of “Saturday Night Live” , with an appearance by his brother Jason.
Personal life
Travis Kelce started dating social media star Kayla Nicole in 2017, but they called it quits after five years. Fast forward to September 2023, and he was confirmed to now be dating Taylor Swift.
Kelce also runs a foundation called Eighty-Seven & Running, which focuses on mentoring and providing opportunities for underprivileged youth. He launched this initiative in 2015.
RELATED: Taylor Swift’s Net Worth Reaches $1.5 Billion in 2024.
Real estate
In 2019, Travis purchased a massive 10,000 square foot mansion in Kansas City for $995,000.
In October 2023, he reportedly paid just under $6 million for a sprawling 16,000-square-foot home in a gated community in Kansas City.
Travis Kelce’s impressive net worth and professional achievements reflect his dedication and talent on and off the court. From breaking NFL records to leading the Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl victories, Kelce has solidified his place among the league’s best players. His success extends beyond football, with lucrative sponsorship deals, media appearances and investments further increasing his wealth.
Kelce’s philanthropic commitment through his foundation also highlights his generosity and desire to give back. As he continues to excel in his career and personal endeavors, Travis Kelce remains an inspirational figure to fans and aspiring athletes.