KC Chiefs parade: History gives us extra reason to watch Travis Kelce (2024)

While Travis Kelce has been a talented tight end for quite a while, the 2023 NFL season pushed him into a new stratosphere of fame. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end linked up with Taylor Swift, and that relationship pushed his profile to new heights (pun intended). Off the field, it seemed like everything he touched turned to gold; on the field, things culminated in a fairy-tale ending in Super Bowl LVIII.

Kelce, like it or not, has firmly taken his place in the spotlight. But, on Wednesday, there's an extra reason to key in on No. 87.

On the 14th, the Chiefs will celebrate their most recent championship with a parade. And while it's unclear if Swift will be in attendance—there are questions about her schedule in light of the ongoing Eras Tour, and it's possible she was asked to stay away for security reasons—Kelce's previous moments on the microphone suggest he'll still be worth watching.

Let's roll back the clock and consider some of them.

Kelce Gives the Beastie Boys Some Super Bowl Flair

During their time together, Kelce and the Chiefs have collectively embraced "Fight for Your Right (to Party)" as something of a celebratory anthem. And after dispatching the Titans in 2020 to earn a trip to the first Super Bowl of this current run, the tight end made sure the entire viewing audience knew what time it was.

A couple of weeks later, though, he broke out some slightly different lyrics. After reaching the top of the metaphorical mountain, Kelce joined ESPN's broadcast crew on the desk and couldn't help but shout-sing, "You gotta fight for your right ... to Lombardi." He even threw in some (seated) gyrating for good measure.

Calling Out Cincinnati's Mayor

While postgame celebrations are usually a joyous occasion, Kelce brought some heat in early 2023.

In this scenario, though, a bit of background is needed.

At the end of the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Bengals rolled into Arrowhead Stadium and beat the Chiefs to advance to the Super Bowl. Ahead of the rematch, Aftab Pureval, the mayor of Cincinnati, tweeted out a video in which he referred to the Chiefs' home as "Burrowhead Stadium" and quipped that Burrow (the Bengals' star quarterback) had to take a paternity test to confirm if he was Patrick Mahomes' father.

When the Chiefs won the AFC title, Kelce didn't forget those barbs. In what's a now iconic piece of trash talk, the tight end used Jim Nantz's CBS microphone to make sure the entire sports world heard his reply.

"I've got some wise words for that Cincinnati mayor," Kelce said. "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!" He then cupped his ear like a veteran wrestler before breaking into his signature "You gotta fight" performance.

At another point in the evening, the tight end also interrupted Mahomes' interview to say "Burrowhead, my a**" and told the assembled media that "Cincinnati was a better city when Jerry Springer was the mayor."

For his part, Pureval later said that he deserved the response.

Mahomes Keeps Kelce off the White House Podium

After beating the Bengals in that conference championship game, KC knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles to clinch the Super Bowl title and earn a trip to the White House. If you thought that would give Kelce a chance to address the world, though, you'd be sorely mistaken.

At one point during the ceremony, the tight end drifted over to the podium and began to speak. "So, I've been waiting for this..." he said before Mahomes swooped in to usher him away.

On an episode of New Heights, Kelce revealed that he simply wanted to say, "To my fellow Americans," but who can blame Mahomes for playing things safe?

Sharing Advice With a Fellow Pro

While this one is a bit different than the others, it still deserves an acknowledgment.

During the 2023 season, Kelce was mic'd up during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. After the final whistle, Bolts rookie Scott Matlock approached the all-world tight end and said he was a big fan of his. That prompted some cliched replies, but when Matlock asked for advice, you could almost hear Kelce flip a switch.

"You know what it is," he explained in a candid moment. "Understand the other side of the ball just as well as you know your side of the ball. You feel me? Because everything is predicated off of what I'm doing and what the defense is doing."

Kelce then shifted back into PR mode, making some generic statements about loving the game and playing for your teammates, before moving on.

And while this clip isn't as eye-catching as some of the others, it does provide a valuable addition to our knowledge of Kelce. While it's sometimes easy to think of the big tight end as a dumb jock who simply shouts nonsense into a live microphone, this interaction highlighted that he 1) can play the PR game and keep things generic, and 2) has plenty of insight when it comes to his own success.

Kelce Channels Elvis In Front of Taylor Swift

This moment is probably wedged firmly into many people's minds, largely due to how recently it occurred. At the end of Super Bowl LVIII, Kelce took to the podium with his teammates to celebrate the win. And when confronted with Jim Nantz's microphone yet again, he couldn't resist taking the viewing audience on another musical journey. This time, though Elvis initially replaced the Beastie Boys.

And while you can assess Kelce's singing—and Swift's reaction—however you'd like, this performance does suggest a fundamental truth. Regardless of his increased profile, his new relationship or any other changes, the tight end still can't say no to a live mic.

And that makes Wednesday's parade worth paying attention to. With a celebratory mood in the air (and possibly some adult beverages flowing) you never know what No. 87 will tell the world.