The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against each other at the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona tonight, but the climactic game also marks a brand new, noteworthy moment in NFL history: it is the first time that brothers will play against each other on opposing teams in the 57 years since the Super Bowl began.
Once the national anthem has been sung, viewers will be tuning in not just to see who emerges triumphant between the Chiefs and the Eagles, but also which Kelce brother will take home a Super Bowl ring: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, or Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Here’s everything you need to know about Travis and Jason ahead of what has been dubbed the “Kelce Bowl.”
Where are the Kelce brothers from?
Jason and Travis grew up in Ohio, although Jason, the older brother, was actually born in North Carolina. Jason is 35, and Travis is 33. They were both athletes at Cleveland Heights High School; Jason was both running back and linebacker with the football team, while Travis played basketball and soccer in addition to football. They then both went to the University of Cincinnati, Travis on a scholarship offer, and played for the Bearcats.
Jason was selected by the Eagles in the 2011 NFL Draft, and Travis was picked up by the Chiefs two years later. Tonight will be their first championship game playing against each other.
Their parents are steel sales rep Ed Kelce and Donna Kelce, who has become famous in her own right in the lead-up to the Super Bowl for sporting split merch in order to support both of her sons equally during the season. “I have two split jerseys, one split jean jacket, and two split shoes,” she told Insider.
Do Jason and Travis Kelce have Super Bowl rings?
The brothers each have one Super Bowl win under their belts: Jason with the Eagles in 2017, and Travis with the Chiefs in 2019. Jason is also a six-time Pro Bowler, while Travis has played in the Pro Bowl eight times.
“It’s wild, and kind of surreal,” said Travis, of the upcoming championship game. “For it all to align like it has, it’s mind-boggling… It’s a special moment. It’s something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives… but at the same time I’m just trying to get a win for the Chiefs.”
They’re not always rivals
While Travis and Jason will be on opposite sides of the field tonight, they also enjoy working together: they co-host a podcast called New Heights, where they talk about football and break down major developments in the League as they happen. New Heights is named after Cleveland Heights in Ohio, where they grew up.
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV.
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