The Kelce family isn’t shy about being in the NFL spotlight. Jason and Travis Kelce have one of the most popular sports podcasts in the world right now, and both are at the top of their game for their respective teams. Donna Kelce is in every commercial you can imagine and is often the focus of the broadcast on most game days.
But there is one member of the Kelce family who is a little less present when it comes to the spotlight. That would be Jason and Travis’ father Ed Kelce.
Ed Kelce’s Early Days and Career
The patriarch of the Kelce family revealed during a July 26, 2023, episode of New Heights that he had a vision of wearing a U.S. Army uniform, which would’ve maintained a family trend for Ed Kelce.
However, the father dealt with torn cartilage in his left knee — an ailment that he sustained during his high school football career.
Because of that setback, the Army unfortunately turned him away from joining. Had he joined that military branch, he would’ve kept a family tradition of serving, saying, “Everybody in my family before me was in the service.”
Ultimately, he was advised to take up the U.S. Coast Guard instead of worsening his knee in the Army.
Yet, right before going on that trek, he discovered a new obstacle in Crohn’s Disease.
“I enlisted in the Coast Guard, and the Crohn’s reared up,” Ed said. “I’d never had that before, and I was sick. I went through most of the basic training with some severe gastrointestinal issues. They don’t need sick people in the service; they need people who are ready to perform.”
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He went on to a lengthy and highly successful career in the steel and metal industry in Cleveland, the family’s home city.
Ed Kelce’s Relationship With Donna
As Ed and Donna detailed on the New Heights podcast with their sons, Donna was on her way to a date with another man before Ed stepped in.
“I was supposed to go out with a guy that night; we were supposed to go to a play, and I never made it. Your dad and I talked forever,” Donna said.
Ed ended up running into his future wife at a bar named Fagan’s in Old Cleveland Flats. He shared how he originally went there for an after-work drink and was “covered in cement” but instead struck up a conversation with Donna before the rest was history. Unfortunately, the relationship ended after 25 years, but Ed and Donna remained friends.
“We are friends to this day … We get along great; just sometimes, people move apart, that’s all,” Donna said.
Ed went on to produce two sons who have now played a combined 24 NFL seasons. When discussing their father on the New Height’s podcast, Jason and Travis said that Ed is the “best f*cking dad in the world.”
The brothers now have five Super Bowl appearances and three rings for winning the big game. Now, Ed has witnessed Travis score what he called a bigger victory than the Super Bowl — winning over Swift.
After being seen with Swift attending one of Kelce’s games, Ed had some kind words to share about the global superstar when talking to People magazine.
“We’re sitting in the suite, she gets up, and in the front room, she gets up to go get a drink or something, and she starts picking up empty bottles, cans, plates that are scattered around,” Ed said. “Because in the suites, everybody gets stuff, and you empty it down wherever you can.
“And I’m just thinking, I don’t think she got the diva memo. She didn’t get the spoiled musician. She doesn’t know how to pull that off. And that really, to me, said a whole lot.”
After the highly publicized meeting between Ed and Taylor became an internet sensation, Jason and Travis joined in on the fun.
“He’s probably saying, ‘I’ve taken all your CDs out at the local library, and I’ve burned them into my computer because that is legal as a tax-paying citizen,’” Jason joked.
The brothers did end up sharing some nice words about their father.
“We can’t keep kicking Dad just because we enjoy doing it, man, and our dad is the best f*cking dad in the world,” Travis said. “He is a great converser. It’s where Jason gets his storytelling and all of his charisma. We’re saying this just because we like to rag on the big guy.”
A good sign of things to come for Travis and Swift, perhaps.
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