Being in the spotlight comes with its fair share of scrutiny—and for Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, that includes addressing unfounded rumors that spread like wildfire. The latest claim suggested that the NFL tight end had purchased a $3.3 million property in Kansas City to house homeless youth. While it appeared to be a generous gesture, Kelce has now come forward to set the record straight.
On a recent episode of his New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis addressed the growing chatter online.
“I gotta make a little statement in the ‘don’t believe everything you read, kids’ category or nice realm that you see online,” Kelce said.
“Some false claims were thrown out there that I was doing something in the community that I was not, and I’m not even gonna talk about it specifically. I don’t want to bring any more attention to that whole nonsense and article and all that stuff.”
While Kelce didn’t mention the $3.3 million housing claim directly, his comments came just days after social media outlets circulated the rumor, tying him to a large-scale housing initiative that he had no involvement with.
Why the Clarification Matters
For many athletes, rumors come and go. But for Kelce—who runs a legitimate nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development—misinformation threatens to cloud his real work.
“If people ever want to know exactly what I’m doing in the community, just go to 87running.org,” he said, referencing his foundation, 87 & Running.
“We’re always trying to get out there and get in the Kansas City communities and the Cleveland community.”
Fighting AI-Driven Misinformation
Kelce suggested that the type of news in question could have sprung from either AI-generated fake lore or dubious sources. His concern was that gossip, no matter how positive, would undermine the work he puts into expressing the right things about his philanthropy and important issues in his community.
Work Equivalent to Impact
Travis Kelce enjoys a long history of giving back, which includes hosting youth camps, promoting education initiatives, and funding community efforts through 87 & Running. This is where he stresses that whatever people say—glorifying or attacking public figures, including himself—is really based on fact and therefore quite legitimate and just."