Travis Kelce at 35: Chiefs icon still riding Taylor Swift wave and trying his luck on TV as another birthday arrives – and there’s even more history to chase in the NFL…read more

When his last birthday came around, a 34-year-old Travis Kelce was riding the wave of his new romance with Taylor Swift a few weeks after the pop megastar set the internet ablaze by watching one of his Kansas City Chiefs games for the first time.

And as he turns 35 this weekend, the Chiefs legend is still very much riding that wave.

Not only is he considered by many the greatest tight end in NFL history, but Kelce now stands tall as one half of the most famous celebrity couple on the planet, as well as a promising rookie in the world of TV.

Despite becoming another year older – and even facing calls to retire amid his sluggish early form for the Chiefs last month – there is also still plenty of history for him to chase on the football field this season.
So with the Swift relationship still going strong, his new career on the small screen taking off and a record-breaking third straight Super Bowl in his sights, DailyMail.com has taken a look at the state of play for Travis on his 35th birthday.

THE SWITCH EFFECTS

Given what he’d achieved on the field and his charismatic personality off of it, Kelce was already a household name in America before Swift came along

Winning two Super Bowls, and one of them against his own brother in unprecedented circumstances, as an integral member of Kansas City’s offense meant the tight end was a well-known figure even to casual football fans.

But his relationship with the songstress has catapulted him to even greater heights.

Kelce had just under three million Instagram followers before Taylor arrived at Arrowhead for her very first Chiefs game in September 2023.

He now has just under seven million.

His award-winning New Heights podcast with brother Jason has also lived up to its name over the past year, recording a 170 percent increase in YouTube subscribers (2.42 million) and a 303 percent increase in Instagram followers (2.7 million) since September 2023.
The NFL has also benefitted from the increased spotlight on Travis over the past year, with a record 202.4 million people tuning in to watch him celebrate with Taylor in Las Vegas after winning last season’s Super Bowl with the Chiefs.

On his 35th birthday, Kelce now stakes a claim to being one of the most famous figures in popular culture across the globe, transcending his stardom as simply an all-time great NFL player.