Travis Kelce secured the title of Athlete of the Year at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards, adding another honor to his collection after his recent Super Bowl victory. Despite not being present at the event held in Santa Monica, California’s Barker Hangar on February 18, the 34-year-old football star emerged triumphant among strong contenders like Coco Gauff, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Sabrina Ionescu, Simone Biles, and Stephen Curry. While Kelce’s partner, Taylor Swift, celebrated her own successes that night, including four out of five nominations, she was unable to attend due to her ongoing commitments for the Eras Tour in Australia.
Kelce had previously expressed surprise at his nomination during a January episode of his podcast, “New Heights,” jokingly questioning why he was included with comments like, “What did I do to become Athlete of the Year? I did SNL.” Despite his playful doubts, Kelce found himself on the prestigious list.
Kelce’s prominence goes beyond his skills as a tight end, partly due to his relationship with Swift, which began the previous summer. Swift was in Las Vegas to witness Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs secure their second consecutive Super Bowl win on February 11. The thrilling victory against the San Francisco 49ers, sealed with a score of 25-22 in overtime, led to celebrations on the field, where Swift joined Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, in congratulating the team. Kelce, amidst the celebrations, even sang “Viva Las Vegas” to the crowd before sharing a tender moment with Swift.
Reflecting on the achievement, Swift described the experience as “unbelievable” and “one of the craziest things” she had ever witnessed. Kelce, reveling in the victory, expressed his joy to reporters, saying he felt “on top of the world” and enjoyed the positive feeling.
Even before the Super Bowl victory, Kelce’s performance in the 2023 season highlighted his status as one of the league’s top players. With 93 catches for 984 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games, Kelce’s contributions were vital to his team’s success.
In November 2023, the Chiefs praised Kelce’s accomplishments, calling him the “fastest tight end to 11,000 receiving yards” and the only player in franchise history to achieve this milestone. Despite his achievements, Kelce remains dedicated to his NFL career, rejecting any retirement rumors. Embracing opportunities beyond football, such as his appearances on SNL, Kelce envisions a future filled with continued success in sports and ventures in other fields.
