Travis Kelce made a rather unexpected and extravagant purchase with his first NFL paycheck, according to his sister-in-law, Kylie Kelce. The Kansas City Chiefs star, known for his flashy style and personality on and off the field, splurged on something straight out of a classic film that left his family both surprised and amused.
Travis, who entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick in 2013, was just 23 years old when he received his first signing bonus. Rather than making a conventional investment or a practical purchase, Kelce decided to indulge in a childhood dream. Kylie Kelce, the wife of Travis’s brother and fellow NFL star Jason Kelce, recently shared the story during an interview with Philadelphia radio station 94 WIP.
Kylie revealed that Travis’s first major splurge was on a pair of the iconic Marty McFly shoes, famously worn by Michael J. Fox in the 1989 film Back to the Future II. The self-lacing Nike sneakers became a symbol of futuristic cool in the movie, and they had clearly captured young Travis’s imagination.
Kylie recounted how Jason had given Travis a hard time about the purchase when he visited him in Philadelphia that year. “Early on when we were dating, Travis came into town, I think with the Marty McFly shoes,” Kylie said. “I didn’t have the chance to meet Travis that time, but Jason told me after the fact how much of a hard time he gave Travis after Travis divulged how much he spent on the shoes. It’s warranted.”
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While it’s not clear exactly how much Travis paid for the shoes at the time, today they are valued at a staggering $38,000 on the resale market, according to StockX. The extravagant price tag, even then, seemed like a reckless financial decision for the young player, but Travis apparently had no regrets.
Travis Kelce himself has spoken about the purchase in the past, revealing that the Marty McFly shoes weren’t the only luxury item he bought with his first NFL paycheck. He also treated himself to a Rolex watch, completing what he called the ultimate “cool guy” look.
“I was walking into this empty apartment with Marty McFlys on and a Rolex,” Travis recalled during an episode of his New Heights Podcast in 2021. “I felt like I was the coolest guy in the world. I’d always wanted those shoes, I’d always been a big Nike guy and watching Back to the Future so many frickin’ times and seeing what the Nikes would look like in the future and the fact they were anti-gravity and self-tying.”
While Kylie admitted that the sneakers were undeniably cool, she also acknowledged that the decision to spend so much money on them was a bit questionable. “They’re so cool, but he deserved a little flack for that one,” she added with a laugh.
Despite the eyebrow-raising purchase, Travis Kelce has gone on to have an incredibly successful NFL career. Over 11-plus seasons, he has made nine Pro Bowl appearances and earned more than $76 million in NFL earnings. With the Kansas City Chiefs aiming for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory this upcoming season, Travis’s early splurges are now just a footnote in what has been an extraordinary career.
Meanwhile, his brother Jason Kelce is set to transition into a new role as an ESPN analyst on Monday Night Countdown after an impressive 13-season NFL career. The Kelce brothers continue to make their mark both on and off the field, each in their own unique way.
