Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid needed a little convincing when it came to drafting Travis Kelce—but thankfully, the tight end’s brother, Jason Kelce, vouched for him.
During an ESPN interview published on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Jason opened up about how he helped Travis get drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Reid was fresh off 14 seasons as head coach for Jason’s team, the Philadelphia Eagles, when he called up Jason as head coach of the Chiefs for some inside information about Travis.
Although Reid was impressed with Jason’s younger brother’s skills on the field, Travis’ suspension from the University of Cincinnati following a string of positive marijuana tests made the coach apprehensive about taking a chance on him.
“I felt like he was asking me in the moment, ‘You realize I’m taking this shot on him. I want to make sure this works out,'” Jason told ESPN. “Kind of like [Reid was saying], ‘You’re part of this working out,’ so if it doesn’t work out, he’s holding me responsible.”
In the interview, Jason explained that he and Reid “had a great relationship” for the two years he coached in Philadelphia. “He knew me and trusted me as a player,” the Eagles center said.
“My brother’s film from college I think spoke for itself,” Jason continued. “I think they knew the type of player they were getting. Because of the inside scoop I guess with me, they were able to kind of get over some of the concerns with him.”
That isn’t to say Travis’ early years with the Chief were smooth sailing.
“For the first five years, it was a war. The last five years have been unbelievable,” Coach Reid said during a May 2023 episode of New Heights. “I’ve watched him blossom into a leader—I mean, he’s always been a great player—but a tremendous leader, big heart, teammates love him.”
