Travis Kelce used offseason to recover from “taxing” 2023 season
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift helped him go from a national star into a global star. But you can’t tell when it’s time for him to go to work.
Kelce has shown up for every voluntary offseason workout and now is in Saint Joseph for the Kansas City Chiefs’ annual training camp at Missouri Western State University.
He’s still had his fun over the offseason though from helping his partner perform onstage to being on cereal boxes with his now NFL-retired brother.
But football has always been the priority for Kelce and he consistently speaks and shows it.
“This is my sanctuary,” Kelce said- after practice on Saturday.
“St. Joe, year 12. That means I’ve spent just about an entire year of my life up here in the dorms. Everybody may say that is pretty grueling, but I enjoy it. There’s something about this place to get you ready every single year, and I’m not going to lie, I got pretty excited as the time started counting down to get out here and get this thing rolling.”
“This is where it all starts. You can say it starts in the offseason, and yeah, you want to get that foundation set in the offseason of the leadership and the mentality and things like that. But at the end of the day, this is where you really find out what the team is made of, how you sharpen the iron, how your guys practice your practice habits, the attention to detail, and nobody does it better than Coach [Andy] Reid.”
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Last season, Kelce missed the season opener after he hyperextended his knee and picked up a low-grade ankle sprain early in the year while helping the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls.
With his 35th birthday creeping up on Oct. 5, he spent this offseason focused on recovery and longevity.
“Last year was pretty taxing on my body,” Kelce said. “I’ve had more snaps than a lot of guys if not everybody in the NFL over the past five, six years, and I’m very prideful of that, but I know it has taken a toll on my body.
“So it’s just making sure that my body’s getting that rest and that ability to train harder and be able to withstand an entire 17-to-20-game season.”
Kelce has several personal trainers. “I’ve got guys all over the place.”
But he said he hasn’t changed his offseason preparation dramatically since early in his career.
“Over every single season you find ways to get better at what works for you, [eliminate] what doesn’t, and you just want to amp it up every single year so that you keep finding ways to kind of climb that staircase of success,” Kelce said. “I would say I’m doing some things differently but nothing really in the grand scheme of things. Just putting my nose to the grinder.”
The Chiefs have added several weapons on offense like speedsters Hollywood Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy and two tight ends: veteran Irv Smith Jr. and fourth-round rookie Jared Wiley, who already is showing signs to be an immediate contributor in the least, and a good successor to Kelce at the most.
Kelce has already stated that he wants the heavy workload although head coach Andy Reid said he’ll likely lighten it. Kelce already takes fewer reps in practice and Reid will allow that with Kelce’s legacy.
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The tight end always puts in the work. At the end of practice when the team was practicing punt and punt return, Kelce was on his own on the empty field next to where they were practicing.
He repeatedly got into his three-point stance, took his left first step and his right balance step, and plunged into the one-man sled, driving it three yards back at a time.
NFL players have spoken up about rumors of an 18-game season, but Kelce doesn’t look that far ahead.
Three straight Super Bowl wins are the only thing on his mind.
“I know it’s a 17-game season this year. I’m gonna try and make it all the way to New Orleans baby.”
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