Travis Kelce Net Worth: Inside His $90 Million Football, Podcast, and Business Empire

Travis Kelce is a world-famous professional American football player, investor, and podcaster. He started playing in the NFL as part of the Kansas City Chiefs team in 2013. Fast forward to today, and he’s considered one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. As of 2024, Travis Kelce’s net worth is estimated at over $90 million.

Kelce is famous not only for his football career but also for his business investments, the podcast he has with his brother, and his very public relationship with Taylor Swift.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how Travis Kelce made his fortune and how his wealth skyrocketed in recent years.

Travis Kelce’s Net Worth Breakdown:

The bulk of Kelce’s net worth comes from his NFL contracts. When his latest contract is completed in 2026, he’ll have earned over $83 million from playing with the Kansas City Chiefs alone, pre-taxation.

However, that’s not all that contributes to Kelce’s wealth. The tight end is also a savvy businessman who’s most likely earned a fortune from his investments in different brands, as well as his own businesses.

In recent years, Kelce has earned an impressive amount from endorsement deals, and his recent podcast deal will add $50 million to his net worth by 2027, provided that he and his brother Jason (also an NFL star) are paid equally in the deal.

Based on all the data we found, you can see a detailed breakdown of Kelce’s main assets and sources of income as of 2024.

Travis Kelce Net Worth: Early Life and Education

Travis Michael Kelce was born in Westlake, Ohio, on October 5, 1989. His parents are Ed Kelce, a former sales representative for the steel industry, and Donna Kelce, a former bank executive. Travis has one sibling, his older brother Jason, who played center for the Philadelphia Eagles for a total of 13 seasons. Like Travis, Jason was also considered one of the best players at his role.

Travis Kelce studied at Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio. While at high school, he played a variety of sports, namely football, baseball, and basketball.

As early as his senior year in college, it was evident that Travis Kelce was destined for a great football career. He was a quarterback for the Tigers and a three-year letter-winner. When he was a senior in 2007, he ran 1,016 yards and made 10 touchdowns. He had 2,539 yards of total offense, which earned him All-Lake Erie League honors.

Even though he enrolled in college, Kelce didn’t graduate on schedule. He graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree and finally received his diploma during a podcast event at the Fifth Third Arena in April 2024.

Personal Life

In 2017, Kelce was dating social media personality Kayla Nicole. The couple broke up in 2022 and, a year later, it was revealed that Travis is dating Taylor Swift.

According to recent research, Kelce’s licensing income has increased by a dramatic 177%, which has reportedly been largely driven by his association with Taylor Swift.

Travis Kelce Net Worth: How a College Athlete Turned the Highest-Paid Tight End in the NFL

Travis Kelce has been considered the greatest tight end of all time by many football fans for years now and for good reason. He’s a seven-time All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler and holds various NFL records.

Kelce’s career started blossoming in college. Even though he had offers from several schools such as Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH), and Akron, he decided to accept the scholarship from the University of Cincinnati. At the university, he joined his brother Jason Kelce on the Bearcats football team.

After redshirting for his very first year on the team in 2008, Travis Kelce recorded an impressive eight rushes for 47 yards, as well as two touchdowns in 2009. He played at tight end and quarterback out of the Wildcat formation, and had one reception for three yards.

The 2010 season was a gap in his college football career since he tested positive for marijuana and was suspended. When he returned for the next season, he recorded two touchdowns and 13 catches totaling 150 yards.

The year 2012 was Kelce’s last collegiate season. He thrived this year and set personal season highs with 722 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns, and 45 receptions.

Joining the Kansas City Chiefs

In the 2013 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round. This resulted in a brief first season with the team because he was placed on injured reserve after his knee surgery in October.

However, Travis Kelce bounced back not long after, rapidly building an impressive career on the football field. Let’s see how his career progressed as the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

First Seasons as a Kansas City Chiefs Tight End

When Kelce was drafted by the NFL, he started training under Andy Reid, the new head coach for the team during the off-season. Reid had drafted and coached Travis’ brother Jason Kelce in 2011 when he was head coach of the Eagles.

Despite the promising start, Kelce injured his knee in the preseason. He was inactive during the first weeks of the season, and eventually placed on injured reserve on October 12, after a microfracture surgery. The only time he played was on one snap in the Chiefs’ Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The 2014 season was significantly better for Kelce, though it did come with some setbacks. He was the Chiefs’ leading receiver during the season with 862 yards off 67 receptions.

Kelce’s first NFL touchdown happened during Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins. However, the following month, in November, he had another setback when he was fined $11,025 for unsportsmanlike conduct during the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos. Kelce made an inappropriate motion and hand gesture at Von Miller, the Broncos’ linebacker.

In the next game, when the Kansas City Chiefs played against the Arizona Cardinals, Kelce made seven receptions for 110 yards, marking the first NFL game he has played with over 100 yards.

Kelce started the 2015 season with a multiple-touchdown game. His match against Houston Texas helped him rank as a top-five tight end on ESPN. He started each of the 16 regular season games and eventually earned his way to the first Pro Bowl of his career.

First Contract Extension and Growing Success

In January 2016, it was time for Travis Kelce to extend his contract. At this point, he was ranked 91st on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 list. His new contract was significantly higher than his first, worth $46 million.

After signing the new contract, in Week 8, Kelce recorded seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 9, he was ejected and fined $24,309 because he argued with officials during the Chiefs’ game against the Jaguars.

Following this setback, he had many standout performances, including four consecutive games with 100+ receiving yards, which allowed him to join elite tight ends in the NFL.

His best game came on Christmas Day against the Broncos, with 11 receptions for 160 yards and an 80-yard touchdown. Kelce finished the 2016 season with 1,125 receiving yards and earned First-team All-Pro honors.

In 2017, Travis Kelce had many more standout performances, including eight receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 against the Eagles. In Week 13, he scored two quick touchdowns against the Jets, finishing the season with a career-high eight touchdowns and 1,038 receiving yards, second only to Rob Gronkowski.

By the end of this season, he had earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection and was ranked 24th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

Rebounding after a Concussion

The Chiefs went 10-6 and faced the Titans in the Wild Card Round, but Kelce was sidelined with a concussion in a 21-22 loss. However, he quickly rebounded in the 2018 season – and even thrived alongside the new quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was named NFL MVP that same season.

Kelce had several strong performances this season, including his 12 receptions for a career-best 168 yards against the Raiders in Week 13.

By the end of the season, he broke the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season – a record he lost not long after to George Kittle . He also earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection and was named First-Team All-Pro once again.

By the end of the 2017 season, Kelce had climbed the ranks to the 21st spot on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

Kelce’s First Super Bowl Victory

Travis Kelce excelled in the 2019 season, starting with seven receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders in Week 2. He finished the season with 97 receptions for 1,229 yards, becoming the first tight end in NFL history with four consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. He also won his fifth Pro Bowl selection. During the game against the Chicago Bears, he became the fastest tight end in NFL history to record 500 career receptions.

In the playoffs, Kelce caught 10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns in what was a dramatic comeback win against the Texans. In Super Bowl LIV, he contributed six catches for 43 yards, helping the Chiefs secure their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years over the 49ers!

More Victories and Super Bowl Milestones

The 2020 season brought Kelce a new contract extension for four more years. He became a key player for the Chiefs in one of his best seasons to date. Kelce finished the regular season with a career-high 105 receptions and a set record for tight ends with 1,416 receiving yards. At this point, he was the first tight end with two 100-catch seasons, making history in the NFL.

In 2021, Kelce ranked fifth on the NFL Top 100 Players list. This season, he became the longest-tenured member of the Chiefs after the departures of Anthony Sherman and Eric Fisher. He set multiple milestones, becoming the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 8,000 career yards in Week 2 against the Ravens. He finished the season with his seventh Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors.

2022 was a standout year for Travis Kelce. He recorded four touchdowns in a Week 5 win over the Raiders, tying the franchise record. And, he set an NFL record for tight ends with 33 career 100-yard receiving games during the game against the Chargers.

In the playoffs, Kelce set a new postseason record for tight ends with 14 receptions against the Jaguars in a match where he scored two impressive touchdowns. He faced his brother Jason Kelce in Super Bowl LVII, marking the first Super Bowl featuring two brothers. The Kansas City Chiefs secured their second Super Bowl title with Kelce that year.

During Super Bowl LVIII, Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards and helped his team win 25-22 in overtime, marking his third Super Bowl victory. He did, however, have a new outburst on the field, for which he apologized to head coach Andy Reid on his podcast.

2024 Season

This season, Travis Kelce signed a new two-year extension with the Chiefs, the biggest one to date. This made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

He started this season slowly with only 8 catches for 69 yards in the first three games. However, the Chargers game in Week 4 brought him a season-high seven receptions milestone for 89 yards, and he surpassed Tony Gonzales’ record to become the team’s all-time leader in career receptions.

Career Earnings for Travis Kelce

The details of Travis Kelce’s contracts in the NFL are widely disclosed. Here is what his NFL salary has looked like over the years:

• 2013: Travis signed a four-year rookie deal for 3.12 million with a signing bonus of $703,304
• 2016: Kelce signed a five-year contract extension for $46 million. This extension came with $22 million in guaranteed money.
• 2021: Kelce receives a guaranteed roster bonus of $7 million
• 2022: He earned $2 million of his salary as a guarantee
• 2024: In April, he signed a two-year extension for $34.25 million. His average annual salary is now over $17 million.

Despite his hefty paychecks over the years, Kelce has often mentioned that he is underpaid compared to other players of his caliber.

“My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am,” he says. “You see how much more money you could be making and, yeah, it hits you in the gut a little bit.”

Assets, Investments, and Earnings of Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce might not be as wealthy as his girlfriend Taylor Swift, but his cash stash is pretty impressive, too. In the last couple of years, he has been adding millions to his net worth, much of which is coming from endorsement deals and other projects, such as his podcast rather than his NFL contracts.

Endorsement Deals

The details of individual endorsement deals for Travis Kelce haven’t been publicly disclosed. He has had, however, many profitable contracts with big brands, and reportedly made $5 million per year from his collaboration with companies like Nike, Papa John’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Tide, Bud Light, State Farm, McDonald’s, and more.

However, thanks to his growing success and the association with Swift, this year, Kelce is expected to earn $30 million from endorsements and businesses.

In September 2023, Kelce debuted as a spokesman for Pfizer to promote the company’s COVID-19 vaccine educational campaign. He used his Instagram and other social media profiles to urge people to get the booster and appeared in several commercials that aired during NFL games. This campaign reportedly added $20 million to Kelce’s net worth, but this hasn’t been confirmed.

Podcast

In 2022, the Kelce brothers launched a weekly podcast called New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. In August that year, Travis and Jason signed a $100 million deal with Amazon’s Wondery podcast service to bring the show to the platform for 3 years. Based on the contract, Wondery holds the rights to distribute and sell ads for the brothers’ sports podcast. We don’t know how the two brothers split the money but, assuming it was split evenly, Travis Kelce is set to make $50 million for his podcast alone.

Businesses and Investments

Over the years, Travis Kelce has made many savvy investments. In February 2023, he became an equity investor in Casa Azul Tequila, which was founded by the company behind Fuze Tea and Core Water.

Kelce was also one of the few professional athletes who invested in the hot sauce brand Cholula. When the company was acquired by McCormick in 2020, Kelce likely made a fortune on this investment. Cholula sold for $800 million.

As of October 2023, Kelce holds a stake in Alpine, the Formula One racing team. The $218 million fund includes investors such as Patrick Mahomes (Kelce’s star quarterback), Anthony Joshua, and Rory Mcllroy. There’s no mention of how much exactly Travis Kelce has invested in the team.

In addition to these investments, the famous football player has invested in the following ventures:

• At-home rowing machine startup
• Sports lifestyle and entertainment content platform PlayersTV
• Truck accessories company RealTruck
• Menswear brand Indochino

Not only has he invested in other businesses, but he has founded his own companies, as well. His businesses include a line of nutritional supplements he launched in 2019 called Hilo Gummies, as well as his sportswear brand Tru Kolors.

Media Appearances

Beyond business and football, Kelce has made some notable appearances in the media. In 2016, for instance, he starred in his own reality dating show on E! titled Catching Kelce. He picked Maya Benberry as the winner, but the two broke up in early 2017.

After his Super Bowl victory in 2023, Kelce hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live with his brother Jason as a guest.

He is also the host of Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity, for which he reportedly earns $750,000.

Kelce has also appeared in Happy Gilmore 2, Moonbase 8 (2020), and Grotesquerie (2024).

Real Estate

In 2019, Kelce spent $995,000 on a 10,000-square-foot mansion in Kansas City, Missouri.

More recently, in October 2023, he spent $6 million on a mansion in a gated community in Kansas City called Leawood. Underneath the mansion, he’s installing a custom-built man cave. The house has six bathrooms, six bedrooms, an outdoor kitchen, a wine cellar, and more.

What Can We Learn from Travis Kelce’s Story?

Travis Kelce’s story offers many lessons both on and off the field.

For starters, he teaches us a lesson about resilience and perseverance. Kelce’s college career was almost derailed when he was suspended for violating team rules at the university. However, he returned with renewed focus and determination, learning from his mistakes, and eventually became a great player. This underscores the importance of not letting setbacks define you, but it also teaches us an important lesson of treating others with respect and not letting your anger guide you.

Early in his career with the NFL, Kelce was recognized for his raw athleticism. He worked hard to improve his skills and this ability to adapt and grow has made him one of the greatest players in NFL history. The lesson here is to continually work to evolve in your career and refine your craft over time.

Kelce has taken advantage of opportunities both on and off the field. His business ventures, including endorsements, investments, and podcast show his ability to expand his brand beyond football. This speaks to the importance of diversifying your career and income streams for better financial stability and more success.

Lastly, Kelce is known for his philanthropic work, particularly through his Eighty-Seven & Running foundation, which focuses on empowering underserved youth. This dedication to giving back to the community shows the importance of using one’s success to positively impact others.