Andy Reid had to yank ‘example’ Travis Kelce out of Chiefs training camp: ‘No excuses’
In what could be his final season in the NFL, Travis Kelce gave training camp everything he could.
The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up training on August 20 ahead of their preseason game against Tampa Bay on Saturday, and according to head coach Andy Reid, Kelce could do with a break.
“You have examples like Kelce, he’s the oldest guy on the team and came out every day and worked to where you had to yank him out of there to give him a breather,” Reid told reporters.
It’s no surprise the 36-year-old worked his socks off infront of one of the youngest rosters in the NFL.
Alongside trying to win the fourth Super Bowl ring of his career, Kelce had another goal in mind ahead of 2026.
“[I want to be] a better leader,” Kelce said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
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“When we get stuck, with adversity hitting, who’s going to want you in that foxhole with you? That’s one of those things.
“I want to be one of those guys that everybody counts on to be there and get us out of that foxhole.”
Kelce, widely considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time, is entering his 14th season with the Chiefs.
After an offseason that saw his marry pop superstar Taylor Swift, training camp initially began with concerns over his physique, but the intensity of his play also caught the attention of linebacker Nick Bolton.
“There’s no excuses when you have the old guy out there running routes and stuff like that,” Bolton said of Kelce.
“Obviously he’s getting a bit older, the resiliency to show up every single day even if he doesn’t feel 100%, give as much as he can — 100% of what he has.
“It’s been fun to watch him work.”
Kelce intensity inspired by return of Eric Bieniemy
Kelce was feeling particularly energized by the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Bieniemy, who re-upped with the organization after a year away, missed the first few weeks of training camp, after his wife, Mia was shot inside their Virgina home in July.
Thankfully, Mia is set to make a full recovery, and Kelce loved having his OC back.
“One, you’ve got intensity. Intensity is the first thing and that intensity is infectious,” Kelce said upon his return.
“And I love that s***. It’s one of my favorite things about him. I don’t think there’s enough of that in the world, let alone in this building.
“He’s one of those guys where his accountability is gonna piss you off.
“But if you treat it the right way and you act the right way, respond the right way with it, you’re gonna become better, and it’s gonna make the team a better team.”
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