Travis Kelce is no longer a spring chicken.
On Thursday, June 27, the Kansas City Chiefs delighted fans by sharing a series of nostalgic photos showcasing their players during their rookie years compared to how they look now.
“Went back into the archives for these ?,” the NFL team captioned the post.
Leading the photo carousel was 34-year-old tight end Travis Kelce. His “Year 1” photo featured him with slightly longer hair and a youthful, clean-shaven face. Selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft at age 24, Kelce’s rookie photo showed him with a hint of a beard, gazing straight into the camera. This image was paired with a recent “Year 12” photo, where Kelce sported a beaming smile, shorter hair, and a fuller beard, reflecting his years of experience and growth.
The post also highlighted other key players, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In his “Year 1” photo, Mahomes looked fresh-faced, grinning at the camera with just a bit of stubble. His “Year 8” photo showed a more mature Mahomes with more facial hair and an even broader smile, capturing his development over the years.
“They all look happier ???,” one commenter noted, reflecting the positive reception from fans.
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These nostalgic photos surfaced shortly after Kelce compared his experience playing an NFL game at London’s Wembley Stadium to watching his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, perform at the same venue.
Speaking on the June 26 episode of his New Heights podcast, Kelce reminisced about the Chiefs’ 2015 game against the Detroit Lions at Wembley Stadium.
“Playing in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium? I remember 2015 playing in front of 80,000 at Wembley and then seeing Tay up there going crazy,” Kelce shared. “They get a lot louder for Taylor.”
Adding to the excitement, Kelce surprised fans at Swift’s Sunday show by joining her onstage as a backup dancer during her “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart” outfit change. He carried Swift to a couch and assisted another dancer in freshening her up before she sang the final song of the Tortured Poets Department section of the performance.
These glimpses into the players’ early careers, paired with Kelce’s entertaining anecdotes, offered fans a unique blend of nostalgia and current excitement, celebrating both the Chiefs’ history and their ongoing connections beyond the football field.
