Travis Kelce has become a big name in the NFL during his 11 seasons as a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he's now known worldwide for his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.
If only we knew how to pronounce his name correctly.
During the Chiefs' chilly playoff game against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 13, which the Chiefs won 26-7, the team's defensive tackle Chris Jones was captured on a mic telling his fellow teammate that "it's not even Travis (Kel-see)."
"Travis Kels. Yeah, bro. F------ crazy, right?"
In early 2023, brothers Jason and Travis Kelce had their own father, Ed Kelce, on their "New Heights" podcast to talk about why the name's pronunciation changed.
"That was the name I went by at work," he explained. "Everybody at work did that so I just said, 'Fine, screw this.'"
When the brothers asked their dad what they should go by, he gave his blessing to "do whatever you want."
The Kelce family has been addressing just exactly how to say the last name for years.
Travis Kelce blew the minds of Kansas City Chiefs fans and teammates in 2021 by saying that his last name is pronounced "Kels" and not "Kel-see."
"You learn something new everyday," Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes tweeted in response to a Barstool Sports video posted by a podcast host in which Kelce says, "My real name is 'Kels,' so I just kind of roll with the punches."
"So I've been saying his name wrong this entire time," then-Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill replied to Mahomes' tweet.
Kelce also appeared to confirm it by retweeting a tweet by Fox 4 Kansas City sports anchor Harold R. Kuntz featuring a video from ahead of the 2020 AFC championship game in which Kelce says his name is pronounced "Kels."
NFL fans also couldn't wrap their heads around it.
"Wait what!? Please tell me this is a joke! I can totally see @tkelce doing this as a joke!! ? my mind is blown if this is true!" one fan tweeted.
"Sooo we’ve been saying Travis Kelce’s name wrong the whole time????" Pro Football Focus tweeted.
