Travis Kelce Makes His Feelings Clear About Playing on Thanksgiving and Christmas
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has played in almost every scenario imaginable across his 13-year, Hall of Fame–bound career. But this Thursday in Dallas, he will cross off something he has never experienced: a Thanksgiving Day game. As the Chiefs prepare to face the Cowboys in a rare holiday matchup, Kelce is making it clear he’s ready for the spotlight — and the stakes, both on and off the field.
Fresh off a 23-20 overtime comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts, Kelce spoke openly about the upcoming holiday game, the significance it holds for him and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and what the matchup means for the tight end’s holiday traditions with his family and fiancée, Taylor Swift.
Thanksgiving Game Has Historic Meaning for the Chiefs’ Future Hall of Fame TE
Kelce’s excitement comes as the Chiefs return to a Thanksgiving Day schedule for the first time in 19 years. Their last appearance came in 2006, when they hosted the Denver Broncos in one of the NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving night games. Kansas City enters this week with an even 5-5 record on the holiday.
For Kelce, the opportunity is new and long-awaited.
“I’m pumped,” he said Sunday after the overtime win, via KSHB 41 in Kansas City. “It’s my first time ever playing on Thanksgiving.”
The matchup carries even more weight for Mahomes, who grew up in Tyler, Texas — just 100 miles from Dallas — and has never played an NFL game in his home state.
“We’ve got to win for him,” Kelce said. “You can’t go back home with any Ls, man.”
Kelce reflected on his own hometown returns as well, noting strong performances during two visits to Cleveland, where he once starred as a high school quarterback.
“Hell yeah, I like playing on holidays, man,” he added. “It’s fun. I know everybody’s sitting down, eating all the food they can possibly get and enjoying the family time. There’s nothing that goes better than football and Thanksgiving, baby.”
Travis Kelce Will Host the Entire Family for Christmas
His hesitation before speaking, and the little smile afterward tells me everything I need to know 🥹♥️
For NFL players, holiday games often complicate family traditions — especially when personal lives are under the national spotlight. Kelce still embraces the holiday grind and even revealed new plans for 2025.
“I’ve had the pleasure of playing three games on Christmas. Each and every single one of them I had a blast in,” Kelce told Jason Kelce, Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson on “New Heights.”
“On top of that, I get to have everybody come through to Kansas City,” he continued. “Christmas in K.C. this year, so it’ll be a good time.”
Jason Kelce responded with support: “That’s right.”
The Kelce family — including parents Ed and Donna Kelce, plus Jason and Kylie Kelce — would naturally be part of the guest list. But according to a source who spoke with
“It will be very low-key, family-centric and [won’t involve any] major travel,” the insider said. “Travis fits right in with her family, and Taylor adores [his mom] Donna. They talk all the time. They make sure to see both sides as often as they can. They are super family-oriented, and they have always loved that about one another.”
Browns ‘Comfortable’ Giving $30 Million Contract to Steelers’ Biggest NFL Draft Bust
Once upon a time, there were big things expected in the NFC North for Browns linebacker Devin Bush. He was the No. 10 pick in the 2019 draft by the Steelers out of Michigan, and started 15 games as a rookie, making 109 tackles. But he tore his ACL in Year 2, and never really recovered from there–when he hit free agency in 2023, the Steelers had no interest in bringing him back and he got just a $3.5 million one-year deal with the Seahawks.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ USA Today site had a headline that winter, “LB Devin Bush is easily the biggest Steelers NFL draft bust.” Sports Illustrated named Bush among the, “Biggest Draft Busts of the Past 10 Years,” in April 2023. Safe to say, he was a disappointment.
Browns Got a Bargain in Devin Bush
But Bush has had a resurgence in Cleveland. He signed a minimum deal with the Browns in 2024, and played well enough to warrant a return contract for this season. And he’s made the most of the chance, making 75 tackles in 11 starts, and establishing a career high with five passes defended and four quarterback hits.
A bust no more, Bush is ranked the No. 6 linebacker (out of 83) in the Pro Football Focus grades system, earning a mark of 84.9 for the Browns this year. That means he is due a significant raise, and though the Browns have already given new deals to Myles Garrett and Alex Wright, Bush should be on their list, too.
