Ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce delivered a stirring speech that galvanized the team.
Tracy Wolfson of CBS Sports reported Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had quarterback Patrick Mahomes, defensive tackle Chris Jones and the star TE talk to the team on Saturday night.
Kelce’s message was the most impactful, as “there wasn’t a dry eye in the room” after he spoke.
Kansas City is making its fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years and aiming to become the first team to repeat as champions since the 2004 New England Patriots. Only seven clubs have won back-to-back Super Bowls. Kelce acknowledged he wants to make history.
On Monday, he told the media, “I want this one more than I’ve wanted to win a Super Bowl before in my life.”
Kelce failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in eight seasons. However, the future Hall of Famer has stepped up in the playoffs. The 34-year-old has the second-most receiving yards (262) and is tied for the most receiving TDs (three).
The Chiefs will need the four-time first-team All-Pro to keep rolling against San Francisco. The 49ers are third in the league in points (18.4) and ninth in yards allowed (312.6). As of Sunday, FanDuel lists them as a 1.5-point favorite.
If Kelce helps the Chiefs pull off the upset and wins his third ring, it will continue to grow his celebrity status.
He’s in a relationship with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and his podcast with his brother, Jason, has over two million YouTube subscribers.