Andy Reid and the Kelce Brothers Had So Much Fun Telling NFL Draft Stories

Kristen Wong | Apr 22, 2024

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Even in his pre-Taylor Swift era, Travis Kelce was apparently still a catch.

In a “New Heights” episode dating back to May 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs star reminisced on his rosy NFL draft days with coach Andy Reid. Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, asked Reid what led to each of them being drafted, prompting two very different answers from the Chiefs coach.

During his 14-year stint as head coach of the Eagles, Reid selected Jason Kelce in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Reid also took Travis two seasons later in Reid’s first year with the Chiefs.

According to Reid, drafting Jason Kelce was an “easy” choice.

“You were a great player,” Reid said of the older Kelce brother on the podcast last May. “A little bit undersized, had tremendous toughness, speed. You were smart, dirty tough.”

I could listen to Coach Reid tell Kelce draft stories all day pic.twitter.com/63mle6mVxx

— New Heights (@newheightshow) April 22, 2024

As for Travis Kelce, though, Reid had a more critical first impression of the former Cincinnati tight end.

“This guy, I saw play against Temple, and my son kept telling me this tight end is unbelievable,” continued Reid. “Game’s over, they just destroyed Temple. I come over to the locker room, he comes be-bopping out and just giving me the business. Like we’re long-lost friends. And deep down, I’m going, ‘If I get my hands on that son of a buck, I am going to rip his heart out.’”

Little did Reid know that “son of a buck” would go on to enjoy one of the greatest tight end careers in history, racking up 11,328 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns to date. The Chiefs, sniffing a historic three-peat this upcoming season, will look to bolster their roster at the 2024 NFL draft, which begins on April 25.