Colorado's Travis Hunter to enter draft, vows to be full-time CB and WR in NFLThe standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.
Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won’t be doing it for the Aggies, who no longer have nearly half their 2022 signees. The list of 2022 recruits now with playoff contenders elsewhere includes Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen, Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart, Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton, SMU offensive tackle PJ Williams and injured Boise State receiver Chris Marshall. Texas A&M has done all right without them, going 8-4 as transfers filled about half the starting roles. Texas A&M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal. “It used to be you lost 20 seniors, you signed 20 incoming freshmen,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “You just had your numbers right. Now you might lose 20 seniors, but you might lose 20 underclassmen. You just don’t know.” Is high school recruiting losing value? Coaches emphasize that high school recruiting remains critical, but recent results suggest it isn’t as vital as before. The last two College Football Playoff runners-up – TCU in 2022 and Washington in 2023 – didn’t sign a single top-15 class in any of the four years leading up their postseason runs, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. This year’s contenders have shown there’s more than one way to build a championship-caliber roster. About half of No. 1 Oregon’s usual starters began their college careers elsewhere. No. 5 Georgia, which annually signs one of the nation’s top high school classes, has only a few transfers making major contributions. Colorado’s rise under Deion Sanders exemplifies how a team can win without elite high school recruiting. None of Colorado’s last four classes have ranked higher than 30th in the 247Sports Composite. Three ranked 47th or lower. “If anybody ever did the homework and the statistics of these young men – people have a class that they say is the No. 1 class in the nation – then five of those guys play, or four of those guys play, then the rest go through the spring and then they jump in the portal,” Sanders said. “Don’t give me the number of where you rank (in recruiting standings), because it’s like an NFL team," he added. "You always say who won the draft, then the team gets killed all year (and) you don’t say nothing else about it. Who won the draft last year in the NFL? Nobody cares right now, right?” The busy transfer portal Star quarterback Shedeur Sanders followed his father from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023, and Heisman Trophy front-runner Travis Hunter accompanied them. According to Colorado, this year’s Buffaloes team has 50 transfer newcomers, trailing only North Texas’ 54 among Bowl Subdivision programs. Relying on transfers comes with caveats. Consider Florida State's rise and fall. Florida State posted an unbeaten regular-season record last year with transfers playing leading roles. When those transfers departed and Florida State's portal additions this year didn't work out, the Seminoles went 2-10. “There has to be some type of balance between the transfer portal and high school recruiting,” said Andrew Ivins, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “I compare it to the NFL. The players from the transfer portal are your free agents and high school recruiting is your NFL draft picks.” A look at the composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports for the 2020-22 classes shows at least 40 of the top 100 prospects each of those years ended up leaving their original school. Coaches must decide which positions they’re better off building with high school prospects and which spots might be easier to fill through the portal. “The ones that have a ton of learning to do - tight end, quarterback, interior offensive line, inside linebacker, safety, where they are the communicators - they are the guys that are processing a lot of information,” Florida’s Billy Napier said. “Those are the ones in a perfect world you have around for a while. “It’s easier to play defensive line, edge, corner, receiver, running back, tackle, specialists. Those are a little bit more plug-and-play I’d say, in my opinion," Napier said. "Either way, it’s not necessarily about that. It’s just about we need a certain number at each spot, and we do the best we can to fill those roles.” Transfer portal ripple effects Power Four programs aren’t the only ones facing a balancing act between recruiting high schools and mining the transfer portal. Group of Five schools encounter similar challenges. “We’re recruiting every position and bringing in a high school class,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. “That’s not going to be maybe 24 scholarship guys like it used to be. It might be more like 16. It’s not four d-linemen necessarily, right? It might be three. It might not be three receivers. It might be two. And it might not be five offensive linemen. It’s two to three.” The extra hurdle Group of Five schools face is the possibility their top performers might leave for a power-conference program with more lucrative name, image and likeness financial opportunities. They sometimes don’t know which players they’ll lose. “We know who they’re trying to steal,” Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin quipped. “We just don’t know who they’re going to steal.” The obstacles facing coaches are only getting steeper as FBS teams prepare for a 105-man roster limit as part of the fallout from a pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement. While having 105 players on scholarship seems like an upgrade from the current 85-man scholarship limit, many rosters have about 125 players once walk-ons are included. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said last week his program would probably end up with about 30-50 players in the portal due to the new roster restrictions. Is there college free agency? All the added dimensions to roster construction in the college game have drawn parallels to the NFL, but Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck believes those comparisons are misleading. “When people talk about college football right now, they’re saying, ‘Oh, we have an NFL model,’ or it’s kind of moving toward the NFL,” Fleck said. “First of all, it’s nothing like the NFL. There’s a collective bargaining agreement (in the NFL). There’s a true salary cap for everybody. It’s designed for all 32 fan bases to win the Super Bowl maybe once every 32 years – and I know other people are winning that a lot more than others – but that’s how it’s designed. In college football, it’s not that way.” There does seem to be a bit more competitive balance than before. The emergence of TCU and Washington the last couple of postseasons indicates this new era of college football has produced more unpredictability. Yet it’s also created many more challenges as coaches try to figure out how to put together their rosters. “It’s difficult because we’re just kind of inventing it on the fly, right?” Diaz said.In the ever-changing world of education technology, Neulight is carving out a unique niche by not just utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) as a trendy term, but by embedding it into meaningful tools that genuinely benefit educators. With a leadership team composed of seasoned Silicon Valley professionals, including CEO Jose Moreno and CTO Andrew Lawrence, PhD , Neulight is developing impactful, user-friendly solutions, supported by advisors with a lifetime of experience in education to ensure the needs of educators are always heard and addressed. This unique blend of Silicon Valley expertise and educational insight gives Neulight a distinctive edge in the EdTech arena. Their flagship platform, IntelliTier , is specifically designed to empower educators by offering personalized intervention strategies for students while prioritizing usability and data-driven insights. “We see many companies tossing around the term ‘AI’ as a buzzword. Our focus is bringing our users the value and insights of AI as intuitively as possible,” notes Jose Moreno, drawing from his rich experience that includes over five years at Microsoft and nine years at Netflix—where he was pivotal in launching the immensely successful Account Sharing initiative that helped to attract approximately 40 million new subscribers in just one year. Moreno underscores Neulight’s mission: “Here, we aim to bring that Silicon Valley mentality—world-class talent, rigorous data analytics, and a focus on customer experience—into the realm of education. Educators deserve better tools, which is why we initiated our journey with IntelliTier, focusing on personalized student support through the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.” The Powerhouse Team Behind Neulight Neulight’s leadership team is a synthesis of cutting-edge technical knowledge and a profound understanding of educational needs. The background Moreno brings provides a unique lens through which to view the EdTech landscape. He envisions a seamless combination of top-notch engineering prowess with a strong emphasis on enhancing user experience. “It is all too common for educators and parents to express frustration with their experiences interacting with EdTech software,” Moreno explains. “Our mission is to change that narrative by injecting top Silicon Valley talent into this sector.” Andrew Lawrence, PhD, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, brings significant AI expertise to the table. With multiple patents and publications in prestigious conferences such as ICML and NeurIPS, he has extensive experience in machine learning. Before joining Neulight, Lawrence served as Director of Research at a London startup, where he helped pioneer Causal AI—a technology that mirrors human reasoning through cause-and-effect relationships. “What truly excites me about IntelliTier is its capacity to transcend basic AI functionalities,” Lawrence shares. “We’re employing AI in a purposeful manner—integrating it deeply into the platform to ensure educators can quickly obtain actionable insights that lead to tangible outcomes.” Neulight’s innovative approach is also supported by an impressive advisory board filled with educational professionals, including former school board members, retired assistant superintendents, and special education specialists. This collaboration between technological innovation and real-world educational experience ensures that Neulight's solutions not only leverage cutting-edge advancements but are also deeply aligned with the practical needs of educators. Lisette Mendez-Garcia , one of Neulight’s trusted advisors, as well as a school board member, school psychologist, and special education administrator in California, highlights the pivotal role and potential of AI in transforming education: "I am passionately dedicated to championing systemic strategies that empower teachers, elevate student success, and engage families as partners in education. As AI transforms industries, it's vital that we leverage its potential in ways that are safe, practical, and impactful for the classroom. IntelliTier is leading the way in streamlining behavior intervention, showcasing how innovative technology can improve support systems within our schools." IntelliTier: A Game-Changer for Educators At the core of Neulight's innovations is IntelliTier, a FERPA-compliant platform designed to help educators implement the MTSS framework effectively. IntelliTier simplifies the often complex challenge of providing personalized support for students' behavioral and social-emotional needs. This system enables educators to collect data, collaborate, and make informed decisions—all aimed at fostering students' social and emotional learning (SEL). “IntelliTier is designed to simplify data collection and analysis, delivering actionable insights that make educators' work more efficient and impactful,” Lawrence explains. “We understand that educators cannot afford to waste time on convoluted systems. That's why we’re ensuring the platform allows educators to save information, analyze it, and make quick decisions—so they can redirect their attention to what's truly vital: teaching.” A standout feature of IntelliTier is its ability to automatically discern which student interventions are proving effective and which require adjustments. By leveraging the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) model for data collection, the platform can highlight students who require additional support and the type of interventions that can be most effective. This proactive approach allows educators to act swiftly, ensuring timely support for those in need. “We’re looking to move beyond the typical chatbot model,” Moreno adds. “Our AI actively brings relevant information to educators, rather than waiting for them to seek it out, fostering more proactive and informed decision-making. I’m excited to see how we continue to innovate in this area, but for now, we do include a chatbot that is knowledgeable about MTSS, the school, and the students so that educators receive immediate, informed support.” By detecting shifts in a student's needs, the platform not only alerts educators but also assists in adjusting intervention strategies, reducing the burden on educators to determine the necessary changes. With its meaningful incorporation of AI, IntelliTier evolves beyond the traditional chatbot model by actively presenting vital information to users instead of merely waiting for them to inquire. “We’re not here to simply follow trends,” Moreno states. “Our focus is on embedding AI in ways that practically assist educators. This involves creating systems that conduct in-depth data analysis and providing schools with actionable insights into what strategies are working versus those that aren’t.” Moving Beyond Buzzwords What sets Neulight apart is its profound integration of AI within the IntelliTier platform. Neulight weaves AI into the core functionalities of its platform, providing educators with real-time, actionable insights. This approach empowers schools to utilize their specific resources and policies, enabling IntelliTier to tailor its support accordingly. “Every school is unique, with distinct needs,” Lawrence observes. “IntelliTier is designed to consider the specific policies and resources of each school, allowing the AI to recommend interventions that are both effective and feasible.” IntelliTier’s AI-driven analytics surpass conventional data analysis by supporting educators in defining intervention plans that align with recognized frameworks such as Response to Intervention (RTI), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS). By doing so, the platform equips educators with the tools they need to implement these frameworks effectively while also aligning with SMART goals—ensuring that objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Impact on Education The potential impact of IntelliTier on educational practices is significant. Research indicates that when the MTSS framework is faithfully implemented, schools report improvements in student attendance, grades, and graduation rates. However, many schools encounter challenges in implementing MTSS effectively, with the majority of teachers expressing confusion regarding its application. “If we execute this correctly,” Moreno asserts, “we should significantly aid schools in reaping these benefits while alleviating some of the burdens on educators. Once we achieve that, we will begin exploring our next education-focused product.” By addressing these existing challenges, IntelliTier is set to transform the manner in which schools support their students, facilitating a smoother implementation of MTSS and yielding meaningful results. Looking Ahead As Neulight continues to expand, the leadership team is optimistic that IntelliTier is merely the starting point. “We are genuinely excited about the future of education and the role that technology can play,” Lawrence states. “Our mission is to ensure that AI transcends being just a buzzword and instead becomes a tool that genuinely improves the experiences of both educators and students.” For anyone interested in understanding how Neulight and IntelliTier are reshaping the EdTech landscape, Moreno succinctly articulates their vision: “We’re here to create a meaningful difference, and this is just the beginning. Please don’t hesitate to contact us . We’re always happy to learn more about your needs and how we can help.” Neulight aims to advance the field of educational technology. Through IntelliTier, the company introduces an AI-powered tool that simplifies the process of providing personalized support to students. By emphasizing user experience and integrating deep data analysis, Neulight ensures that educators can focus on what truly matters: the students. As they continue to advance, one thing is evident—Neulight isn’t just following trends; they’re working to make a meaningful impact in the evolution of EdTech.
Patrick Mahomes is ready to throw a Hail Mary when it comes to Travis Kelce 's present. After all, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was recently stumped by what to gift the tight end , who made NFL history on Christmas Day by becoming the player with the most receiving touchdowns in their team's history. "The guy's got everything," Patrick quipped in an interview that aired on Netflix Dec. 25. "Maybe some acting lessons." That, of course, was a reference to Travis' budding TV career after the 35-year-old made his acting debut in Ryan Murphy 's FX series Grotesquerie earlier this year. But according to the show's creator, Travis doesn't really need any acting advice . "A star is a star is a star—and he's a star," Ryan told E! News in September. "He had a great discipline, and he is everything you want him to be. He's a leader, and so sweet and so charming. First on the set, last to leave." Plus, Taylor Swift has been "very supportive" of Travis and his acting endeavors, according to the Emmy winner. "If he has an interest, she wanted him to try it," Ryan added. "I was thrilled about that." Likewise, Travis' Grotesquerie costar Courtney B. Vance had nothing but praise . "He was an absolute genius in preparation," the actor raved, "and a wonderful, wonderful man." And castmate Raven Goodwin couldn’t help but agree, calling Travis "so gracious, so sweet." "He can do anything he wants to do," she noted of the athlete's future as an actor. "He's Travis Kelce." So, does this mean fans can expect to see Travis—who recently appeared in a teaser for Happy Gilmore 2 — in a leading role ? "I'm open to everything," he told E! in October. "It's just got to be the right situation with the right people." To learn more about Travis off the field, keep reading. 1. Travis Kelce may be inextricably linked to Kansas City, Mo., for life, but he grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. And the man represents , shouting out his hometown instead of his alma mater, University of Cincinnati, during game broadcasts that include player introductions. Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums. "It’s not because I don’t appreciate the time I had at the University of Cincinnati, because I do, I cherish it dearly," Travis said in 2019 when he and big brother Jason Kelce were inducted into the Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame. "But there was a time when I was at Cincinnati that it wasn't easy for me. It was tough. I got my scholarship taken from me. I did a lot of dumb things. I'm sure a lot of people in this room know someone from Heights that's done a lot of dumb things. To all my friends, I was that guy." And the Heights weren't just special to him, he continued, but "to every single person up here. How diverse this place is. It builds something in me. Every single thing I do is for this city. It sounds cliche, but I promise you, every single thing I do out there — when you see me dancing in the end zone, that’s Cleveland Heights, for you, right there." 2. About that revoked scholarship... After the Bearcats' undefeated 2009 season that included a Big East title, Travis failed a marijuana test ahead of the 2010 Sugar Bowl after partying too hard on New Year's Eve in New Orleans. Not only did he miss the bowl game, the NCAA suspended him for the 2010 season and he lost his scholarship. Finding himself without room and board, he moved in with Jason (literally into his brother's room in the house he shared with some teammates) and took a job as a telemarketer that entailed him asking anyone who picked up if they had thoughts about the Affordable Care Act. They did, and Travis could not wait to get back on the field. 3. Travis played hockey, baseball and basketball before getting into football, and he was a quarterback in high school. In fact, he was a two-star QB recruit for Cincinnati, and only ended up switching to tight end as a condition of his reinstatement to the team after his suspension. "We had an awesome quarterback at the time in Zach Collaros and we needed some help in the run game as well as the passing game," Travis told Arrowhead Pride after he was drafted by the Chiefs in 2013, "so I talked to coach Butch Jones , who was my coach at the time, and he said we need a tight end and my skill-set, athleticism and my direction all transferred over and it worked out perfect for me." Or, as he put it to GQ in 2017 while rehashing his un-shining moment, "Everybody my entire life had been telling me I was a tight end anyway." 4. The house at 127 W. Nixon St. where Travis bunked with Jason and some fellow Bearcats was the scene of a lot of beer-infused shenanigans. The brothers "used to love playing Nintendo 64 for hours, smashing the controls and chugging beers at the same time," college friend and teammate Tom DeTemple told the New York Times before the 2024 Super Bowl. "They would just come up with these random drinking games while playing, and they were incredibly good at it." 5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat. "It's all about Cincinnati, baby," he told reporters before the 2023 Super Bowl, which the Chiefs got to by beating the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. "I've always been extremely prideful of coming from the University of Cincinnati. I finally got my diploma. I try to help out as much as I can. I go back to the university when I can. I just miss being around all those players that I played with, and all the people I met along the way there that have always been in my corner throughout the ups and downs of life." And when he was down in the eyes of the NCAA, he continued, "The players, the coaches, the staff that was at the university at the time—really believed in me to be able to turn things around and do better for myself. That was huge for me at the time." 6. Almost a decade after leaving college to enter the draft, Travis earned his degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022—but didn't pick up his diploma until April 2024 during a surprise commencement ceremony after he and Jason taped a live episode of New Heights at Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena. The graduate was already holding a can of beer as he approached the dean for his congratulatory handshake, after which he promptly chugged it . And Travis was going to graduate in 2022 but he missed his flight. 7. Largely due to his off-the-field issue, Travis ended up only the fifth tight end picked in the 2013 NFL Draft, going first in the third round to the Chiefs. After which coach Andy Reid , who'd previously coached Jason in Philadelphia, asked the elder Kelce sibling to vouch for Travis. Andy and Travis have three Super Bowl rings to show for Jason's endorsement. 8. His hype music may have changed since, but for years Travis listened to Randy Newman 's "Burn On" before every game. "I'm an east side of Cleveland kid so growing up, I don't know why, but this song brings me back to thinking about family and thinking about where I am in life and how much I appreciate it," he said on the NBC Sports podcast PFT Live in 2017. Let us explain: It's in the opening credits of Major League , the ultimate Cleveland sports movie. 9. Everyone, including Travis, is mispronouncing his last name. While he and Jason have just gone with Kelce sounding like "Kel-see," it actually rhymes with "else." Travis' teammate Chris Jones fired off that bombshell on Inside the NFL in January—"F--king crazy, right?"—and the brothers confirmed as much when they confronted their dad Ed Kelce about it on their New Heights podcast. "Why in the world did you change your name out of nowhere and now we are Kel-see?" Jason asked. "Why did we think that our name was Kel-see for the first 24 years... 27 years of my life, 25 of Trav's?" Ed admitted he "got tired of correcting people" but urged his son to "do whatever you want." 10. The No. 87 Travis has worn throughout his time in the NFL is a tribute to Jason, who was born in 1987. "If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987," Travis explained to NFL Films ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl featuring his Chiefs squaring off against Jason's Philadelphia Eagles . 11. Travis' foundation 87 and Running has been a longtime benefactor of Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit learning center in Kansas City that the athlete has worked with since his first visit in 2015 to read The Cat in the Hat to the kids. Yes, reader, he wore the hat. Since then, Travis has invested in the program's Smart Lab and bought the former muffler shop next door so they could expand and create their Ignition Lab, where the young scholars converted old cars that could've ended up on the scrap heap into working electric vehicles. 12. Travis and Jason call their New Heights listeners "92 percenters" in reference to Jason once commenting that a play known as a quarterback sneak worked "92 percent of the time" when all you need is one yard to score a touchdown. Fans were apparently quite tickled and basically christened themselves the "92 percenters," according to the podcast's website , which likened it to "their secret handshake, but in words." Who were the Kelce brothers to argue with that? 13. Travis has three personal trainers— Alex Skacel , Andrew Spruill and Laurence Justin Ng —and, according to The Athletic , one usually travels with him wherever he goes to ensure he remains in football-catching shape all year round. Alex, who's also a physical therapist, recalled Travis wanting to go for a late night run after taking in a slate full of shows during Paris Fashion Week because he missed working out that day. "It's midnight, and we're doing sprints over the bridges over the river," the trainer told the New York Times in April. "No matter where he is, he finds time to get done whatever he needs to get done." 14. Travis' personal chef, Kumar Ferguson , has been a friend since the fourth grade in Cleveland Heights. He was an amateur cook working as a truck driver in 2016 when Travis called him up and offered him the opportunity. "He's like, 'Hey man, I want to take my diet seriously, and take it to the next level,'" Kumar told Vanity Fair in 2023. "I'm like, s--t, let's do it. Three or four days later, I was in Kansas City." He's been responsible for everything from stocking Travis' fridge to delivering well-balanced lunches to the Chiefs' training facility. 15. Travis' facial hair is under the microscope more than ever now, so he explained on New Heights that he shaved his off-season beard and kept the 'stache in 2023 as an homage to the walrus look favored by Andy Reid and decided to repeat in 2024. 16. The $34.25 million two-year contract Travis signed in April 2024 made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL for the first time in his career. Which finally put an end to years of chatter about how much money he wasn't making. "My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am," Travis quipped to Vanity Fair in 2023. "Any time I talk about wanting more money, they're just like, 'Why don't you go to the Chiefs and ask them?'" But by then, with many other sources of income having opened up for him, he cared more about the vibes than the paycheck. "I'm like, the free market looks like fun until you go somewhere and you don’t win," he explained. "I love winning. I love the situation I'm in." Seeing other players' huge paydays "hits you in the gut a little bit," he admitted. "It makes you think you’re being taken advantage of. I don't know if I really pressed the gas if I would get what I’m quote-unquote worth. But I know I enjoy coming to that building every single day." 17. Travis has been into clothes since growing up in Cleveland Heights, where his high school "was like a fashion show every day," he told Vanity Fair in 2023. Hence the bedroom he converted into a closet, the better to house his designer threads and more than 300 pairs of sneakers—including a pair of size-13 Nike Air Mags that he spent a sizable portion of his rookie year salary on despite them being a size too small. "Earlier on in my career, when they didn't have all these sneaker apps," he explained to the Wall Street Journal , "it was whatever size I could get in the shoe that I wanted." While he's very much a Nike guy (and not just because the brand sponsors him), Chuck Taylors also hold a space in his heart because they remind him of fictional baseball phenom Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in The Sandlot . 18. Among his dozens of investments, Travis co-owns Ohio-brewed Garage Beer with Jason. "I think everyone knows I like to have a couple beers now and then," Travis said in a June statement , "so being an owner of Garage Beer and heavily involved in making the best light beer is exciting, man! There is nothing better to bring people together than an ice-cold beer, and for Jason and me that is what beer is all about—friends, family and fun." 19. We're sensing a theme when it comes to Travis' guilty pleasure TV choices. Back in the day, it was Gossip Girl : "I mean, it's awesome," he said on New Heights . "It like a New York high school show with a lot of drama and basically everybody gossiping and talking s--t on each other." His new favorite show? Peacock's Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors . 20. In his 12th year in the NFL at 35, Travis has been more open of late about the toll the game takes on the body. But he's been stoically getting hammered since day one, when he missed his rookie year with a microfracture in his knee that required the first of the 10 surgeries he's had in his career. 21. Travis put it out there, talking on New Heights about his thwarted attempt to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it when the Eras Tour touched down in Kansas City. And after hearing through the grapevine (people in her camp who knew who Travis was and that he wanted to meet her), she contacted him . "She told me exactly what was going on," he told WSJ. Magazine , "and how I got lucky enough to get her to reach out to me." 22. One of Travis' favorite desserts since forever is French toast topped with whipped cream and syrups. But more recently he's become a fan of his girlfriend's homemade Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls . 23. At least one of Travis' ringtones is Chris Farley shrieking "For the love of God! " in Tommy Boy . "I told Taylor that I have that world, I've got to introduce it to her," he told WSJ. The Magazine of sharing his affinity for the comedy stylings of Farley, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell with his girlfriend. "I let her know: This is my jam right here." 24. After screaming "You've got to fight for your right to party!" after their AFC Championship win over the Bengals in 2019, Travis inspired the Chiefs to start playing the Beastie Boys song of the same name following every home game touchdown at Arrowhead Stadium. "It's like an energy multiplier. That's hard to quantify just how important that is," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN in 2020. "He plays with that kind of character, charisma, passion, and he brings people along with him. In our building, everybody is friends with Travis Kelce. He is an ultimate energy giver. He elevates everybody's mood, focus, attention and at the end of the day, he's still fun." But the boisterous celebrant who brought it into their lives admittedly didn't know all the words to the 1986 classic until he was tasked with performing it with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in February 2023. 25. Speaking of his jams, in May 2024 Travis cited his three favorite Taylor songs as "Blank Space," "The Alchemy" and "So High School." Asked about it in September, however, his answer had changed to, "They're all my favorite—literally every single one." 26. Comparisons to the Chiefs' legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez , who retired in 2013 after 17 seasons in the league, started early for Travis. In 2015, when the chatter about whether he would, in fact, surpass Tony's achievements — and how disappointing it would be if he didn't — was heating up, Travis said he paid the noise no mind. "Nobody puts bigger expectations on me than myself," he told Complex . "I want to have the greatest season statistically that a tight end has ever had." On Sept. 29, Travis surpassed Tony to become the Chiefs' all-time leader in receptions with his 917th catch. "It's crazy how things always come full circle," Travis said on New Heights . "Being at the top of the leaderboard with the Kansas City Chiefs who have been around since the '60s, one of the beginning organizations that made it all the way through that are still at their peak. And a lot of that is due to the rich history they have and to a guy like Tony Gonzalez, who has been a mentor to me. I f--king love the guy." 27. Of Travis' many accomplishments, keeping his house in order on his own isn't one of them. "He can't clean," mom Donna Kelce told Extra in September. "He can't cook.” But perhaps hosting a special someone when she's in town has served as extra motivation to get it together. "He's getting a little better," Donna acknowledged. "I think he's getting some help."
NEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. That's one scenario. For others, that same period — particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign — is something to dread. There is the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words, hurt feelings and raised voices looming large. Those who make a study of people and their relationships to each other in an increasingly complex 21st-century say there are choices that those with potentially fraught personal situations can make — things to do and things to avoid — that could help them and their families get through this time with a minimum of open conflict and a chance at getting to the point of the holidays in the first place. For those who feel strongly about the election's outcome, and know that the people they would be spending the holiday feel just as strongly in the other direction, take the time to honestly assess if you're ready to spend time together in THIS moment, barely a few weeks after Election Day — and a time when feelings are still running high. The answer might be that you're not, and it might be better to take a temporary break, says Justin Jones-Fosu, author of “I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.” “You have to assess your own readiness,” he says, “Each person is going be very different in this.” He emphasizes that it's not about taking a permanent step back. “Right now is that moment that we’re talking about because it’s still so fresh. Christmas may be different.” Keep focused on why why you decided to go in the first place, Jones-Fosu says. Maybe it’s because there’s a relative there you don’t get to see often, or a loved one is getting up in age, or your kids want to see their cousins. Keeping that reason in mind could help you get through the time. If you decide getting together is the way to go, but you know politics is still a dicey subject, set a goal of making the holiday a politics-free zone and stick with it, says Karl Pillemer, a professor at Cornell University whose work includes research on family estrangement. “Will a political conversation change anyone’s mind?" he says. “If there is no possibility of changing anyone’s mind, then create a demilitarized zone and don’t talk about it.” Let’s be honest. Sometimes, despite best efforts and intentions to keep the holiday gathering politics- and drama-free, there’s someone who’s got something to say and is going to say it. In that case, avoid getting drawn into it, says Tracy Hutchinson, a professor in the graduate clinical mental health counseling program at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. “Not to take the hook is one of the most important things, and it is challenging,” she says. After all, you don’t have to go to every argument you’re invited to. If you risk getting caught up in the moment, consider engaging in what Pillemer calls “forward mapping.” This involves thinking medium and long term rather than just about right now — strategy rather than tactics. Maybe imagine yourself six months from now looking back on the dinner and thinking about the memories you'd want to have. “Think about how you would like to remember this holiday,” he says. “Do you want to remember it with your brother and sister-in-law storming out and going home because you’ve had a two-hour argument?” Things getting intense? Defuse the situation. Walk away. And it doesn't have to be in a huff. Sometimes a calm and collected time out is just what you — and the family — might need. Says Hutchinson: “If they do start to do something like that, you could say, `I’ve got to make this phone call. I’ve got to go to the bathroom. I’m going to take a walk around the block.'"
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