Feb. 12 will be a big day for the Kelce family. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Eagles center Jason Kelce will become the first pair of brothers to play against each other in the Super Bowl when Kansas City and Philadelphia face off.
The two both spoke publicly about the first-time event in the aftermath of the Chiefs’ AFC Championship win over the Bengals on Sunday, before dishing even more about the experience Wednesday on the latest episode of their podcast, “New Heights,” including their reaction to the “Kelce Bowl” moniker and having to call another famous tight end with some disappointing news.
The Super Bowl could also provide even more special moments for their mother Donna — as well as the newest addition to the growing Kelce clan.
Here is what the Kelces themselves are saying about the “Kelce Bowl.”
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Initial reaction
“I’m no longer a Chiefs fan, Trav, sorry to break it to ya,” Jason said. “I officially took my Chiefs sweatshirt off immediately after the [game-winning Harrison] Butker kick. My fandom is closed for the next two weeks. No barbecue, no nothing.”
Both Jason and Travis admitted the moment would be one of the most special — and bittersweet — of their respective careers.
“I don’t know that I ever thought it was going to happen,” Jason said. “I thought that it could happen, but I didn’t really ever fully anticipate it happening until pretty much last week. I was like, ‘Man, this could really happen. We could really have a Kelce Bowl, and we could actually be doing this.’”
“This is wild and kind of surreal. I feel like I’ve been getting asked this question my entire career, like ‘What would you feel if you play your brother in the Super Bowl?’ And the entire time I’ve been like, ‘That’s been the goal, to play my brother in the Super Bowl,'” Travis said.
“It just sounded cool and felt like that’s what I wanted. But now it’s like, I don’t know, man, somebody’s got to send their brother home.”
Jason wondered just how improbable this scenario was.
“What are the chances that two guys go to the NFL, then they become starters, then they become All-Pros and important pieces of their team, and then they end up playing each other in a Super Bowl?” Jason said. “It’s got to be something like a lottery pick probability, right? Were we playing the lottery this whole time?”
Still, the Kelces made it clear they did not want the brother vs. brother storyline to overshadow the accomplishments of their respective teams.
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“I kind of don’t like that we’re calling it the Kelce Bowl,” Jason said.
“Let’s get back to Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl,” Travis added.
Don’t touch the statue!
Travis had a warning for Chiefs fans after 49ers supporters tried to put a Brock Purdy jersey on Philadelphia’s famous Rocky statue — only for the move to backfire as it has for other Eagles opponents.
“Every team you guys play in the playoffs, someone tries to throw their jersey on the Rocky statue like it’s just going to — I don’t know, I don’t get it,” Travis said. “All it’s doing is poking the bear.”
Jason, however, has his own theory.
“I think somebody from Philadelphia is doing this now,” Jason said. “I don’t think this is an opposing team thing at this point. There’s no way opposing teams continue to do this. I am convinced that there is a Philadelphia fan who is putting these shirts on the Rocky statue just to get everybody all fired up. And it’s working. It’s working tremendously, so keep doing it. I guarantee it. There’s no way. Because it’s happened every single game — the Giants did it, the 49ers did it, there will probably be a Chiefs jersey on it this week.”
Travis was horrified at the idea.
“No way. No way,” Travis responded. “Chiefs [fans], do not touch the f—— Rocky memorial. OK? Do not do that. Definitely don’t put an 87 (jersey) on it. Do not do that.”
A Gronk-sized letdown
The brothers opened their podcast with some disappointing news — they had to call their friend (and NFL on FOX analyst) Rob Gronkowski to let him know they would not be able to attend his “Gronk Beach” music festival during Super Bowl week.
“It would be unpolite to not let him know that we’re not going to make it,” Jason reasoned.
The two ended up leaving him a message before receiving a call back from Gronkowski later in the taping.
“Obviously, I was hoping at least one of you could come to Gronk Beach, but you guys have way more important things,” Gronkowski said. “The party will always be there.”
Mother knows best
Donna Kelce and her half-and-half Chiefs-Eagles jersey representing both of her sons will be in attendance in Arizona for the Super Bowl — and some even want her to have a role in the game herself. A Change.org petition asking the NFL to let Donna do the game’s opening coin toss had 112,000 signatures and counting as of Saturday afternoon.
And Donna already has her rooting interest picked out.
“The offense,” she told NBC recently. “[Whoever] has the ball.”
Donna has watched her sons in a Super Bowl before — Jason in 2018 and Travis in 2020 — and is expecting fewer nerves this time around.
“They’ve already got the first [Super Bowl] win under their belts, so this is going to be pure joy,” Donna Kelce said. “We’re going to really enjoy this and have a great time. Obviously, there’s going to be somebody that’s going to go home heartbroken, and they won’t have bragging rights at the Thanksgiving table, but this is going to be an awesome event and I’m really looking forward to it. … Probably some tears, it will be a very emotional moment.”
Ready for another Kelce?
Near the end of the episode, Jason pointed out that they need to figure out which sideline their parents will be seated on. Travis said he planned to give his ticket allotment to his group of close friends while Jason will give at least some of his to his wife Kylie, their daughters and Kylie’s parents, as well as one special guest.
“Kylie’s bringing her OB[GYN] because she’s going to be 38 weeks pregnant,” Jason revealed.
“Dude. If she has a baby…,” Travis exclaimed.
“If she has a baby in the stadium, it’s officially scripted,” Jason responded.
The first-ever brother vs. brother Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET Feb. 12 only on FOX and the FOX Sports App.
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