Kelce Family Secrets: Travis and Jason reveal dad Ed’s mispronunciation on podcast ‘New Heights.
Travis Kelce and his brother Jason revealed in a resurfaced clip from their “New Heights” podcast that their last name hasn’t been pronounced correctly for years, starting with their father Ed Kelce.
The debate came back to life in a clip from Inside the NFL, where Travis’ Kansas City Chiefs teammate Chris Jones was seen on the sidelines of their January 14 playoff victory over the Miami Dolphins saying how the name should sound.
“Y’all know it’s not even Travis Kel-see?” the defensive tackle told players next to him on the bench. When a teammate asked, “What is it?” Chris responded, “It’s Travis Kels. Yeah well, f–king crazy, right?”
Travis and Jason’s dad, Ed Kelce, appeared on “New Heights” in February 2023, where the family patriarch revealed that the name is pronounced exactly the way Chris had previously revealed.
Jason, 36, asked his father why he changed the pronunciation, “out of nowhere,” which was something Ed denied, saying, “I got tired of correcting people.” The Philadelphia Eagles star joked, “So you changed your entire family’s name over generations…” as his dad fired back, ”No, I didn’t change anybody’s name!”
His eldest son went on to tell him, “That doesn’t explain why we thought it was Kel-see,” although Jason acknowledged, “I can understand you got tired of correcting people so you were like, whatever.”
Ed revealed that their mom, Donna Kelce, thought his last name was pronounced “Kel-see,” adding, “That was the name that I went by at work.”
“That was my work name. And everybody at work (said) that and so I just said, ‘Fine, screw this,’” he continued.
Jason asked his dad, “Should we go by ‘Kels’ or ‘Kel-see,’” and got the response, “Do whatever you want. I did,” as Travis broke out in hysterics.
“That’s about as fair of an answer I’ve heard,” Jason responded, as Travis, 34, cheered, “F–king-A dad. I’m gonna go by both. How about that?”
“I’m going by ‘Kel-see,’ don’t call me ‘Kels,” Jason declared as Travis said he was happy to take the original family pronunciation, adding “Let’s f–king go,” with the name change.
The brothers had a more serious discussion on the Wednesday, January 17, episode of the “New Heights” podcast after reports surfaced that Jason allegedly told his teammates he was planning on retiring after the Eagles got knocked out of the NFL playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 32-9 pounding, despite making it to the Super Bowl in 2023.
“I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really make that decision. I just don’t,” Jason shared, in an attempt to clarify the reports. “There’s too much emotion in the moment, there’s too much going down in the moment to really fully grasp that decision. I’m not trying to be dramatic and continue to draw this thing out. I’m really not.”
“It’s just something that I think, when it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it’ll be done in a way that’s definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me and what has led to the career I’ve had. And, you know, I don’t think that it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that,” he added. Jason has played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Eagles, winning one Super Bowl in 2018.
