Travis Kelce mansion (Getty Images)
Kelce earned the money after winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Charity Challenge for the third time on January 7, 2026. Unlike his previous victories in 2020 and 2024, however, the prize will not benefit his Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation. He also said management fees fell sharply in 2024 and reached zero in 2025, while plans are underway to expand the board and strengthen reporting.
“As for Kelce’s decision to donate his contest winnings to an established charity, in the short term this was the right call,” said CharityWatch CEO and executive director Laurie Styron in her interview with The Arizona Republic. “It appears to function more as an extension of the management company versus as an independent public charity,” Styron said after reviewing the filings. Aaron Eanes, its executive director, said expenses connected to charitable work had been incorrectly classified as management costs on IRS filings for nearly a decade. The organization has been correcting those filings, according to Eanes. He stated that the organization is “dedicated to ensuring this foundation operates at the highest standards,” according to The Arizona Republic.
“The people operating the foundation need time to get their accounting, governance, and legal house in order. It was the responsible move under the circumstances. “That’s not how charities work. It’s wrong. The foundation has disputed the implication that its spending figures tell the full story.