Travis Kelce never had a great college football resume, and he almost threw his entire career away. After failing a drug test, he had to sit out his entire 2010 sophomore season at the University of Cincinnati. And even when he made it back to the field, his stats were far from stellar, and he ended up as a third-round pick with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Despite all of that, Kelce defied the odds and has become arguably the greatest tight end to ever play the game. At the very least, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. As of now, Kelce has three Super Bowls, four First-Team All-Pro honors, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, and has broken several tight end receiving records.
Perhaps the craziest thing about Kelce’s Hall of Fame career is that it seemingly came out of nowhere. Even Alex Smith, a former #1 overall draft pick who arrived with the Chiefs the same year that Kelce was drafted in 2013, admitted he never saw it coming.
“Did I expect him to be, like, what? A Hall of Fame career? Fu*k no! Hell no,” Smith said on an episode of the New Heights, hosted by the Kelce brothers.
It’s not really an out-of-pocket answer. Nobody truly expected the younger Kelce to become what he is today. But the fact that Smith said it like that to his face got a good laugh out of the TE and his brother, Jason.
The former quarterback then expanded on why he felt that way at the time, pointing out something many forget about Kelce’s rookie season.
“I’m sure everybody looks at Trav’s career and is like, ‘Oh, look, [he] was just like so great and destined.’ I mean, he didn’t even play his rookie year. Dude, I remember you out there trying to run through routes that summer, hobbling around. I remember you hobbling around on that knee just trying to get through it, and I felt so bad,” Smith recalled.
Smith went on to say that he felt bad because he knew there were already question marks about Kelce’s professionalism. And he wanted the rookie to have a fair chance to make the team. So, Smith knew it was going to be an uphill battle from then on out.
By the end of his rookie season, Kelce had only played one snap on special teams in a game against the Dallas Cowboys. Some thought the Chiefs might move on from him after that. But Smith revealed that both Andy Reid and then-GM John Dorsey saw something special in the young tight end.
“I think there was a ton of positivity in the building. Like, from the moment we drafted him, though, Andy [Reid], Dorsey at the time, John Dorsey the GM… They were like, ‘We got a guy.’ Like, that was the belief,” Smith shared.
What a good gut feeling that both Reid and Dorsey ended up having. By his third season, Kelce made his first Pro Bowl. Then by his fourth, he was honored with an All-Pro first team selection.
From Kelce’s perspective, he thought sitting out that rookie season actually helped him grow up and mature.
“In terms of professionalism, it kind of worked out in my favor because I got to see everything. Like, I just got to sit back and watch guys like you, guys like [Anthony] Fasano. Then guys like Jeremy Maclin come in and be pros and show me how it’s done at the professional level,” Kelce said.
In response, Smith praised Reid for recognizing what he had found when he drafted Kelce and for not giving up on him despite the early doubts.
“I think that was the coolest thing, especially about Andy, right? Like, there’s no judgment. He remembers what it’s like to be a 21-year-old kid, you know? And, like, if you’re late to some meetings, it wasn’t the end of the world,” Smith concluded.
Jason Kelce went on to say that Reid comes off as a menacing presence, but he actually just wants what’s best for his players. It’s a tough line to toe, yet Reid consistently manages to be both demanding and the kind of coach players love to play for.
All in all, it was a good reflection on Kelce’s career and a great reminder that some NFL stars aren’t easy to spot early on. As good as scouting is, a few players inevitably slip through the cracks despite their talent.
That’s why it’s important to have a sharp GM who can recognize a value draft pick and a strong head coach who can help straighten out any rough edges. Together, Reid and Dorsey hit a home run with Kelce … something nobody saw coming.
