Travis Kelce has a lot going for himself as of late.
Coming off a second straight Super Bowl title with the Chiefs, Kelce inked a new two-year deal earlier this week that makes him the top-paid tight end in the NFL in terms of average annual value. Add onto that his recent profitable foray into pitchmanning and podcasting, his upcoming debut as game-show host and a burgeoning romance with a certain popstar, and it's good to be Kelce right about now.
Kelce is just glad to be keeping the good times rolling with the Chiefs, the only team he's known in his 11 NFL seasons.
"I'm so fricking thankful to (general manager) Brett Veach, (president) Mark Donovan, coach (Andy) Reid -- Big Red, I love you, big guy -- and obviously (owner) Clark Hunt," Kelce said on the latest episode of his "New Heights" podcast, which was released Wednesday. "The Hunt family has been unbelievable to not only myself and this Kansas City community, but they've just been so generous since I've been here in making it feel like home. For the past [11] years I've been able to make this place exactly that, and I've loved every single second of it.
"I'm gonna love the next two years playing here in Kansas City, and we'll see what happens after that, but I am so excited and so thankful to this organization for getting it done and making me feel appreciated and compensated the right way. On top of that, I got to move the needle for the tight end room. It's everyone else's job to go out there and keep making that tight end AAV number go up and up with every single contract that's better than mine in the future."
Kelce, 34, was sitting behind the likes of possible retiree Darren Waller, T.J. Hockenson and George Kittle in terms of highest-paid TEs before agreeing to a fresh two-year pact that will pay him $17.125 million per year through the 2025 season. It's a well-deserved raise for inarguably the most impactful tight end of this active crop and possibly of all time.
It's also one Kelce says he's thankful he didn't have to stress on Kansas City to pursue.
"I'm not a guy that sits out, I'm not a guy that holds out. I'm a guy that loves coming into the building, and the Chiefs know that," Kelce continued, possibly alluding to Chris Jones' 2023 impasse with the team. "For them to want to be able to get this done for me, knowing how much blood, sweat and tears I put into this thing for 'em, I'm extremely grateful and extremely thankful for everyone involved, man. I love Kansas City for it."
For at least the next two campaigns, Patrick Mahomes will have his preferred pass catcher in the fold, as Kansas City continues its on-the-fly offensive revamp. New to Kelce and Mahomes' side this season will be Marquise Brown, who should take over WR1 duties from Rashee Rice as the NFL looks into the second-year WR's involvement in an April car crash; tight ends Irv Smith and Jared Wiley, a fourth-round rookie; and Kansas City's first-round pick, Xavier Worthy.
Kelce said he is intrigued by Worthy's speed -- he set the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash -- and sees him as a natural fit in the Chiefs' attack, filling roles previously held by Tyreek Hill and the like.
"It's looking like Pat has another extremely fast man to throw the ball deep to -- or just get the ball to in his hands, because a lot of his highlights, you see, he catches the ball and he's splitting defenders and making guys miss," Kelce said. "He's an all-around football guy. He's not just track speed."
