If Travis Kelce decides to hang up his cleats at the end of this NFL season, a surprising new career path might be waiting in the wings—touring with his superstar fiancée, Taylor Swift. The speculation comes after remarkable footage surfaced online, showcasing the Kansas City Chiefs tight end's impressive singing voice from his college days.
College Crooner: Kelce's Musical Past Revealed
Incredible new video, which has gone viral on social media, takes fans back to December 2011. It features a 22-year-old Travis Kelce, then a player for the Cincinnati Bearcats, in Memphis for the Liberty Bowl. The clip shows Kelce as part of 'The Singing Bearcats', engaging in a spirited sing-off against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Kelce confidently takes the lead on the first verse of Bill Withers' classic, 'Lean On Me', before his teammates Ralph David Abernathy IV and Maalik Bomar join in. The future NFL star then returns towards the song's conclusion, displaying a surprisingly soft and capable vocal range that has left Swift's fanbase, the 'Swifties', thoroughly impressed.
Fan reactions online were swift and positive. One supporter exclaimed, 'I've never seen this, this is great!', while another praised, 'He has such a good voice!'. Others have urged Kelce to discuss the rediscovered clip on his popular podcast, 'New Heights', which he hosts with his brother Jason.
A Family of Talent and an Iconic On-Stage Moment
While Travis is showcasing his pipes, musical talent is no stranger to the Kelce household. It is, however, more commonly linked to his older brother Jason, who played the saxophone in college and famously joined the Baltimore Ravens marching band during a broadcast last September.
Travis Kelce is no stranger to the stage himself. In a now-iconic moment during Swift's Eras Tour stop at Wembley Stadium in London in 2024, he made a surprise appearance. Donning a tuxedo and top hat, Kelce served as a backup dancer for the song 'I Can Do It With A Broken Heart', culminating in him carrying Swift offstage.
Recalling the overwhelming experience with Swift as a guest on his podcast, Kelce admitted, 'I rose from that stage and I saw how many people are looking at you and I was just like... blackout. I felt like an ant.' Swift, meanwhile, called the crowd's reaction 'one of the loudest screams I have ever heard on the tour'.
The Future: NFL Playoffs or a New Stage?
For now, Kelce's immediate focus remains firmly on American football. The Kansas City Chiefs face a crucial win-or-bust game against the Houston Texans this Sunday night to keep their playoff hopes alive. Despite the team's struggles this season, the 36-year-old tight end has personally defied his age, recording five touchdowns and 719 receiving yards—the second-most for any tight end this campaign.
However, with his contract set to expire at season's end, intense scrutiny surrounds his long-term future in the sport. Should the Chiefs miss the postseason, questions about a potential retirement will only grow louder.
If this season does mark the end of his legendary NFL career, which includes three Super Bowl titles and a place among the all-time great tight ends, the newly surfaced evidence suggests he may not be leaving the spotlight for long. With a proven vocal talent and a fiancée who commands the world's biggest stages, a future tour bus might just be Travis Kelce's next locker room.
