What Fans Need to Know About Travis Kelce’s Parents

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These days, when it comes to Travis Kelce, all anyone wants to talk about is the tight end’s possible relationship with superstar Taylor Swift. Especially since we’ve seen Taylor attend multiple Kansas City Chiefs games, where the camera pans to her to see her reaction almost constantly. And while lately Taylor has brought her A-list crew with her to the games, the first person she attended with was Travis’ mom, Donna.

Taylor Swift watches Travis’s game with Donna in September 2023. Icon Sportswire – Getty Images

Travis and his fellow NFL playing brother (and Philadelphia Eagles center) Jason Kelce have been lucky to have a tight-knit support system backing them over the years. Even before Taylor was supporting Travis, week after week, fans could see their mom and dad, Ed, sitting in the stands watching their kids’ play. In fact, Donna proudly showcased that both her boys were competing in 2023 Super Bowl LVII (against each other!) by wearing a custom-made shirt featuring both of her their jerseys. If that doesn’t scream support, then truly, we don’t know what does.

As Travis and Jason’s careers continue to escalate, some may be wondering a bit more about their parents. Well, the twosome has been open about raising their two highly-successful sons.

Who are Donna and Ed Kelce?

When Donna appeared on Travis and Jason’s New Heights podcast, the mom of two opened up about how she met Ed. According to her, the two were introduced at a bar called Fagan’s in Cleveland, Ohio. The former banker was supposed to be on a date with someone else, but when Ed walked in for an after-work drink, the two couldn’t stop chatting.

“I was supposed to go out with a guy that night,” she shared on the episode. “We were supposed to go to a play, and I never made it. Your dad and I talked forever… It was a good play, too! I really wanted to see it.”

Ed later recalled the same story in the episode, but also said he didn’t want the night to end. He went home, showered, took Donna to another bar and the rest was history. The two eventually married in the 1970s and welcomed their oldest son Jason in November 1987. Travis was born two years later in October 1989, and the duo raised their kids in Cleveland Heights.

Donna Kelce holds up photos of her sons, Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs.Cooper Neill – Getty Images

Are their parents still married?

While Donna and Ed were wed through both boys’ time at the University of Cincinnati, they eventually divorced after 25 years of marriage. Despite the initial difficulties of the split on the family, Donna and Ed’s relationship later evolved into one filled with friendship.

“I don’t hate him. We’re friends to this day. We get along great,” Donna said on the podcast. “We were like a tag team with you two. We got to do all sorts of fun things. When one of you had to go out of town, the other person would help with the other child. It was perfect.”

“If we had split as we probably both would have preferred, that would have been a nightmare with the logistics, getting kids where they had to be and providing all the support,” Ed added in Jason’s 2023 documentary Kelce.

Needless to say, both parents are their boys’ biggest fans and have love cheering them on together. In fact, you can often see both Ed and Donna at their sons’ games… sometimes with Taylor!

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