{"id":851175,"date":"2026-04-03T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T12:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/851175\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:00:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T12:00:41","slug":"chiefs-remember-much-different-travis-kelce-at-dawn-of-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/851175\/","title":{"rendered":"Chiefs Remember Much Different Travis Kelce at Dawn of Career"},"content":{"rendered":"

KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2013 Brett Veach said this week he\u2019d rather reveal details about the Chiefs\u2019 draft board than whether he\u2019s invited to the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce<\/a> wedding. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ll see. Couldn’t say either way,\u201d Veach told Peter Schrager<\/a> on this week\u2019s edition<\/a> of the Schrager Hour. \u201cThat\u2019s like the hardest-hitting question you could ask me. Off the record, I can tell you who we\u2019re picking at 9 but I cannot disclose anything about the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n

One detail that came out Wednesday that directly affects the wedding was Kansas City\u2019s June calendar. Just before his June 13 nuptials with the most prominent woman on Earth, the Chiefs will conduct their mandatory minicamp from June 9-11. <\/p>\n

Talk about a tight window. <\/p>\n

The future Hall of Famer might need to skip the last half of that minicamp for a rehearsal dinner, and to ease any of his bride\u2019s pre-wedding concerns. Meanwhile, Veach, Andy Reid<\/a>, Patrick Mahomes and anyone else Kelce has secretly invited will be hot on Kelce\u2019s contrail. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy he’s earned excused absence<\/p>\n

If any player on the Chiefs\u2019 roster has earned an excused absence, it\u2019s Kelce. He\u2019s the longest-tenured player on the team, the second individual selected in Reid\u2019s first draft as Kansas City head coach in 2013 (the Chiefs chose tackle Eric Fisher No. 1 overall that year). Kelce\u2019s also the NFL\u2019s all-time leading postseason pass-catcher.<\/p>\n

Veach told Schrager he was amazed at where Kelce is today compared to where he was in 2013, when the Chiefs selected him at the top of the third round (No. 63 overall). <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDavid Butler II-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cTravis Kelce was a character concern, if you remember, coming out,\u201d Veach told Schrager. \u201cHe was a guy that was a tremendous blocker and had a ton of upside, but the love and dedication to the game, what he’s going to be doing off the field \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, after watching how well Kelce handled the first losing season of his NFL career in 2025, his love for the game was unquestioned. Veach and Reid are proud of the tight end\u2019s journey. Their faith in the Chiefs\u2019 locker room was key, too.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDenny Medley-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cThe culture and the support you have in the building does make a difference,\u201d Veach said. \u201cAnd if you put guys that are young and maybe have made some dumb decisions, if you put them in an adult environment with a good culture, you can get the best out of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rashee Rice<\/a> didn\u2019t come up in Schrager\u2019s interview but \u2013 at least early in his NFL career \u2013 the young wide receiver would seem to be a player Kelce could positively influence. And if Kelce can help Rice avoid any further off-field distractions, the Chiefs would be grateful he opted to return for Year 14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDenny Medley-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it’s gone full circle with Travis,\u201d Veach said, \u201cwhere he’s teaching us <\/a>more than we ever taught him, if that makes sense. So, here you have a guy that starts out as a character concern, you bring him in the organization and he has his Hall of Fame career, first-ballot Hall of Fame career. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he’s now teaching us on how to handle adversity and how to be uplifting. And I think that’s the coolest thing. Full circle.\u201d<\/p>\n

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