Travis Kelce may end up being a member of the Kansas City Chiefs for life, but he said he would die for the Cleveland Browns and the city on Lake Erie.
Kelce unveiled how emotional he became during his pre-draft interview with his hometown Browns before the Chiefs ended up selecting him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
That the Browns passed on the Westlake, Ohio native — a suburb 13 miles west of downtown Cleveland and 11 miles northwest of their potential new home in Brook Park, Ohio — who grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and played college ball at University of Cincinnati may just add to the club’s dubious legacy.
Why Did Travis Kelce Cry At His Pre-Draft Interview With The Browns?
Browns fans need not feel so terrible about Kelce landing elsewhere, since it was far from their most egregious missed opportunity.
Cleveland only had five selections in the 2013 NFL Draft, and the club likely would have drafted him with the 68th overall pick in 2013 if KC had not used the 63rd selection on him.
Yet, one can wonder if Kelce might have had any even greater career — and what might have happened to the Browns — if he had landed in Cleveland while playing for then-coach Rob Chudzinski.
“I cried in Chud’s office and said, ‘I will f—— die for this city!’” Kelce told GQ. “I literally was in tears. I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m getting emotional. I grew up down the street. I would f—— do anything to play for the Cleveland Browns.’”
Kelce also recalled Chudzinski’s reaction.
“He looked at me like I was insane,” Kelce said. “I don’t think he’d ever had somebody just pour out their emotions.”
Chudzinski lasted just one season as Cleveland’s head coach, enduring a 4-12 season before he was fired, and he spent only three more seasons as a coordinator in the league.
But the Browns could have traded up to get Kelce. They have had six head coaches since Kelce entered the NFL in 2013, one more than the number of Super Bowls that Kelce has played in as a member of Chiefs.
What Did Travis Kelce Say About Growing Up In Cleveland?
Though Kelce has become arguably the biggest star in the NFL — thanks in part to his now-legendary relationship with pop-music icon Taylor Swift — he did also reference his humble roots growing up in Northeast Ohio.
“Red Lobster was the nice spot for us to go to as a kid,” Kelce said. “We used to go there, see the lobsters in the tank like we were at an aquarium. We put on pants for that s—.”
Though he finally left Ohio to play pro football, it seems fitting that he will inevitably end up back in Canton when he earns his Hall of Fame bust one day. But until then, the 35-year-old intends to take at least one more stab at his fourth Lombardi Trophy.
“Win a Super Bowl is the only goal,” Kelce said. “It’s the only goal. It’s every goal.”
