Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce revels in his end-zone dance celebrations
Travis Kelce has developed a reputation as one of the NFL’s premier celebrators over the past few seasons. And in Sunday’s Pro Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end drew rave reviews for a “Salt Bae” re-enactment following a second-quarter touchdown to put the AFC on top.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/825893643693154304
The celebration was just the latest pop culture nod from Kelce, who has 14 career touchdown catches and has repeatedly proved to be in tune with what’s popular on the internet when he finds the end zone. But Kelce says there’s more to being a great reveler than simply keeping up with memes or staying in lockstep with what’s trending on Twitter.
“I feel like when it comes to celebrations, it’s usually something I did when I was a kid — something I grew up doing on the playground, something from the ’90s that everyone can almost relate to,” the 27-year-old Kelce told FOXSports.com Tuesday after an appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd. “And then on top of that, it’s like modern culture now.
“So sometimes it’s the Salt Bae,” he continued. “Sometimes it’s hitting the Quan. Sometimes doing a certain dance that’s hot now or was hot back in the day. It really varies.”
Regardless of what Kelce decides to do when he finds the end zone or makes a big catch, it virtually always seems to resonate with his fans. But Kelce also recognizes how much he benefits from those who revolutionized the art of the touchdown dance before him.
“Everybody helped that train get to where it is now,” said Kelce, who was also promoting Old Spice’s new Hydro Wash body wash line as he made the rounds. “I take bits and pieces from everybody in terms of their style of play on the field and their showmanship when they make plays.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAsuWbQL4qs
Unfortunately — and to the detriment of his bank account — Kelce’s antics aren’t always popular in the eyes of the NFL, and he’s gotten some heat for crossing the line with his touchdown dances. In many cases, Kelce said, it’s difficult to keep up with what that threshold is, but Kansas City’s $46 million man doesn’t seem too concerned about making the occasional donation to the league in the name of a little excitement.
“You live and you learn,” Kelce said. “You figure out what the boundaries are, what you can and can’t say, and you just don’t want to say anything that affects the people around you. … There’s things that may seem unfair to you, but that’s just the world that we live in. You have to be able to bite your tongue and not say anything stupid to hurt yourself and the team.”
In any case, it doesn’t seem Kelce’s shenanigans are going anywhere anytime soon. And in a league that’s been derided by some as the “No Fun League,” he recognizes as well as anyone the importance of the occasional breath of fresh air.
“It’s entertainment, man,” said Kelce, who caught 85 passes for a career-high 1,125 yards this season. “When you’re watching TV or you’re watching the field, you want to see something exciting.
“Or that’s what I like to see when I’m watching games,” he continued. “But then some fans just want to see the gridiron football guy that’s a hard-nosed guy, not too much personality to him, but knows how to play the game. And maybe that’s just who you are. I just think you should show your personality for whatever it is.”
You can follow Sam Gardner on Twitter or email him at samgardnerfox@gmail.com.
