A retired NFL tight end has praised Travis Kelce for grasping what comes first in his star-studded career amid his growing fame and high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift.
Greg Olsen, who is set to be bumped down to Fox Sports’ No. 2 team in the booth for the 2024 NFL season when Tom Brady joins the network, was impressed by Kelce’s maturity while co-hosting the fourth annual Tight End University program with the three-time Super Bowl champion and George Kittle – another tight end playing for the San Francisco 49ers – in Nashville, Tennessee, last week.
Founded by the trio in 2021, Tight End University aims to bring improve the skillsets of football’s brightest up-and-comers in the position over a three-day camp.
‘All these other things off the field and around the game continued to expand for them,’ Olsen told PEOPLE of Kelce, 34, and Kittle, 30. ‘And I think a lot of guys struggle with that.’
He added: ‘I think the two of them understand their priorities and keeping things in that order, and I think for those two guys, the key is for them to have this success year in and year out is just a testament to their approach of how they do things.’
However, Olsen did have a warning for both Pro Bowlers, reminding them to never lose sight on their initial lifelong goal to go pro, no matter life’s trials and tribulations.
‘At the core of what they are, they’re football players,’ the sportscaster continued of Kelce and Kittle.
‘All that extra stuff and all the intention, it comes and goes, and I’m sure parts of it are amazing and have great perks, and I’m sure part of it’s hard.
‘Obviously I don’t live in those shoes, but when it’s time to work, no one was more engaged in the work in the classroom and the work on the field than both George and Travis.’
Kelce recently made headlines with a surprise on-stage appearance during Taylor Swift’s performance at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. He is also often mentioned in the media nowadays due to his growing addition of brand sponsors and events with fans other than his romance with the popstar.
And as Kelce and Swift’s fanbases continue to gel, Olsen said that the Chiefs star is only getting better with handling the hype that’s around him and Swift.
‘Obviously, Travis is super gracious with his time and everything, and I think it’s great,’ he said. ‘There’s a whole new fan base. I mean, I have an 11 year old daughter, so I get it firsthand.
‘I think it’s great for everyone. I think it’s great for the game and the league and yeah, I think there was a lot of fans excited to see the guys,’ he said of Kelce and Kittle and their involvement at Tight End University.
