ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A tradition has continued in the first week of the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp. The loudest roars from the thousands of fans during the team's on-field work during the first two days of training camp were when quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed a pass to tight end Travis Kelce.
Entering his 13th season, Kelce has improved his speed and nimble quickness when he has the ball in his hands. Kelce, 35, made sure he entered camp in better condition compared to last season. He spent much of that summer gallivanting with his girlfriend, pop superstar artist Taylor Swift, who was in the midst of her Eras Tour that included stops in London, Dublin and Munich.
"He's svelte right now. He looks like he's 20," coach Andy Reid said of Kelce while grinning. "He's doing a good job and he's in great shape. I'm not sure he didn't come in first on the whole conditioning thing. He was right up front. You can see he's been working out. He's worked hard to get to this spot."
Friday will be a pivotal day for Kelce, too. He's a supporting actor in "Happy Gilmore 2," a comedy starring comedian Adam Sandler, which will premiere Friday on Netflix.
"I don't really know how big his role is or what he's doing in," center Creed Humphrey said Thursday of Kelce. "Happy Gilmore was an awesome movie, so I can't wait for the sequel."
Even before he retires from the NFL, Kelce has proved he will be a crossover star in the upcoming years. He has expressed his desire to follow the path of former football players such as Michael Strahan, Carl Weathers and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Last year, Kelce guest starred alongside Niecy Nash-Betts in "Grotesquerie," FX's horror and drama TV show. Acting next to Sandler, a comedy legend, is Kelce's biggest role yet.
"I can't wait to see his acting skills," running back Kareem Hunt said. "I'm going to clown him if he does something silly. It's a big deal. I can't wait to see it."