Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce will look a lot slimmer this season, but his body transformation isn’t as drastic as initially believed.
While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kelce denied a report that he lost 25 pounds this offseason but acknowledged that he is at a lower weight entering the 2025 season than where he was during the 2024 campaign.
“First of all, I never said that… don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” Kelce told reporters. “… I am down some weight.”
The speculation over Kelce’s weight arose when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported during Saturday’s episode of SportsCenter that the 10-time Pro Bowler received a bit of heat for having a “dad bod” last season and promised to return with a “bit of a slimmer look.”
“He’s told people close to him that he’s lost about 25 pounds this offseason,” Fowler said (h/t Kelly Coffey-Behrens of Yahoo Sports). He added that Kelce’s motivation could be stemming from trying to end his career on a high note, saying, “This could be the last dance here for him.”
Despite not losing the 25 pounds that Fowler reported, a lighter version of Kelce could help him get back to his usual level of production. He finished the 2024 season with 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns, marking his first time failing to reach the 900-yard mark since 2015.
The Chiefs were hoping to achieve the first three-peat in modern NFL history last season but ultimately fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
Kelce will have to be at his absolute best if he wants to help lead Kansas City back to the mountaintop, and his weight loss this offseason is already a step in the right direction.