Thursday was a special day for Kansas City Chiefs veteran tight end Travis Kelce as he prepared for the team’s Week 14 matchup against the Houston Texans.
The Chiefs announced that Kelce, for the second straight year, has been named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Club Winner—an honor many consider the most prestigious award in the NFL.
Kelce joins 31 other nominees from across the league. The award is given annually to a player who makes a significant impact in his community.
In 2015, he launched his nonprofit, the 87 & Running Foundation, which supports underserved youth in areas such as education, business, athletics, and STEM.
He has also contributed to and partnered with numerous charitable efforts in both Kansas City and his hometown of Cleveland Heights, where he grew up alongside his older brother, Jason—who couldn’t have been prouder to see Travis receive the honor on Thursday.
“Congrats Taviola, the way you have impacted the game, your community, and your team is second to none,” Jason posted on X. “So incredibly deserving of this award, couldn’t be prouder!”
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Travis spoke about what it means to represent the Chiefs for this award in back-to-back years. He and the 31 other team nominees will be honored at NFL Honors just days before the Super Bowl, where one player will be selected as the league-wide Walter Payton Man of the Year.
“To be chosen as the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year is such a great honor. I have so much love for Kansas City and the Chiefs organization, and to be selected once again means everything to me,” Kelce said. “The opportunity to be involved and help kids through Eighty-Seven & Running and working with Operation Breakthrough as well as Ignition Lab has been such a tremendous experience.
“Coming from Cleveland Heights and having a strong support system has taught me the importance of having the right people around—people who show up for you and want to see you succeed. Being able to give back to Kansas City and to my hometown, places that have done so much for me, has been a dream come true, and I’ll never take that for granted. Representing the team, the Hunt family, our fans, and my foundation is incredibly special, and I’m very grateful.”
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