Travis Kelce is celebrated as one of the NFL’s top tight ends, but recent footage shows he might have a talent for music as well.
A viral clip captures Kelce during his college years performing Bill Withers’ classic “Lean On Me” at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis in 2011. At 22, Kelce took the first verse in a sing-off with teammates against Vanderbilt, later returning for the finale and displaying an unexpectedly soft vocal range.
Fans were quick to respond, with one commenting, “I’ve never seen this, this is great!” while another said, “He has such a good voice!” Some even suggested he share the video on his podcast, New Heights.
Although the sing-off ended in a draw, the performance came during an important week for Kelce.
His Cincinnati Bearcats went on to win the Liberty Bowl, and in 2013, he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Over the past decade, he has earned three Super Bowl rings and established himself as one of the NFL’s most successful tight ends.
A musical streak and stage experience
Musical talent appears to run in the Kelce family. His older brother, Jason, played the saxophone in college and has performed with the Baltimore Ravens Marching Band while working as an NFL analyst.
Kelce has also shared the stage with his fiancee Taylor Swift. In 2024, he appeared at her Eras Tour show in London’s Wembley Stadium, dressed in a tuxedo and top hat as a backup dancer for her song “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” even carrying Swift off the stage.
Reflecting on the moment, Kelce said on New Heights, “I rose from that stage and I saw how many people are looking at you and I was just like… blackout. I felt like an ant.”
Swift described the reaction from fans as “one of the loudest, if not the loudest screams I have ever heard on the tour.”
For now, Kelce remains focused on football. With the Kansas City Chiefs facing a pivotal matchup against the Houston Texans and his contract expiring at the end of the season, the 36-year-old star may soon need to decide whether to continue his NFL career, or perhaps take his talents to a very different stage alongside Swift.
