Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has developed into one of the best pass-catchers in football, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the superstar. Especially not early on.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach spoke about Kelce’s journey this week, saying that Kelce’s attitude was a bit of an issue at first.
“When Travis came to us, he was a little bit of a party guy,” Veach said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN. “[Head coach] Andy [Reid] showed a lot of patience and tolerance.”
Kelce is known for his outgoing personality and has been criticized by some for embracing the celebrity lifestyle a bit too much.
Apparently, this is nothing new for the 34-year-old.
“Travis wanted attention,” added Veach. “He wanted a lot of things. He did things differently than everyone else. Coming here, having to do things a certain way and really organizing and prioritizing his life was a challenge.”
Obviously, Kelce has gotten himself in order, as he has just earned his ninth straight trip to the Pro Bowl and has also notched four First-Team All-Pro selections. Most notably, he holds the single-season record for most receiving yards by a tight end with 1,416, which he achieved in 2020.
Kelce has Reid to thank for much of his NFL success.
“There were a ton of bumps early on, but Coach’s love and faith for Travis never wavered,” said Veach. “He got him through a rough time early on.”
Veach went on to say that while Kelce’s personality traits still surface once in a while, his professionalism makes it all moot.
“You still see that passion and that craziness but in a productive way,” Veach said. “You still see that personality, but it’s done within the confines of professionalism and structure of doing things the right way. He’s a great example now.”
Travis Kelce hauled in 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns this season.
The Chiefs will host the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs this Saturday.
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