How one unexpected Chiefs moment changed Travis Kelce’s perspective forever amid earlier

How one unexpected Chiefs moment changed Travis Kelce’s perspective forever amid earlier setbacks(Image via Getty Images)

By January 2017, that earlier version of Kelce was far behind him. He had become a Pro Bowl player, an All-Pro and one of the most productive tight ends in football, but the captaincy meeting showed him that his development could not stop with what appeared in the box score.

Travis Kelce had already established himself as one of Kansas City’s biggest stars when something unexpected happened inside the Chiefs’ locker room in January 2017. The moment arrived during the week leading into the Chiefs’ AFC Divisional Round matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2017. I didn’t even know I was in the discussion,’” Kelce told Chiefs.com on February 7, 2017. He had made two Pro Bowls, and his 2016 season had produced 85 catches for 1,125 yards, along with his first first-team All-Pro honor.

During a team meeting, Reid began naming the offensive playoff captains and announced Alex Smith and Kelce.

“What took me by surprise, and this is the truest thing that I can tell anybody, is that I didn’t know where I stood in terms of leadership with this team,” Kelce said during that February 7 interview. “I didn’t see that as clear, so when I got elected as a captain in the playoffs, that really opened my eyes,” Kelce said. He had just completed his best season to that point and earned his first first-team All-Pro selection, yet he admitted he was unsure about where he stood as a leader. Then Andy Reid called his name during a team meeting, giving Kelce a realization that stayed with him. Kelce did not expect to hear his name.“My eyes kind of opened up and I was like, ‘Whoa. “That really was the moment that turned the switch from how I view myself. Instead of preparing for another football season, Kelce spent the year away from the team and worked at a call center. It was a difficult stretch for a player who still hoped to build a career in football, and his brother Jason helped him get through it.