Travis Kelce is popular for many things these days—being Patrick Mahomes’s right hand man during their three Super Bowl-winning seasons and dating world-famous pop-star Taylor Swift are just a few. The future hall-of-famer was drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, although he probably would’ve been taken earlier if it weren’t for his past weed use.
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On the April 30th episode of “New Heights,” Travis and Jason Kelce’s shared podcast, the brothers recalled why they believe the former’s draft stock fell during his college career. He was taken in the third round, “an entire round later than [he] should have,” according to Jason.
“You had a few injuries, and then you obviously had the marijuana thing stemming from your sophomore year,” said Jason.
Travis replied, “You saying ‘marijuana’ makes it sound so [much] more intense. Why does that word sound so intense?”
They were referring to Travis being suspended from the University of Cincinnati’s football team during his second year for failing a drug test. The tight end tested positive for weed, rendering him ineligible for the year. In a previous episode of “New Heights,” Travis recalled being pressed about his missed year by teams like the Cowboys.
Turns out the suspension might have led to him being drafted at all.
“What it did was it really kicked me into the tight end room,” said Travis during a 2023 episode of “Bussin’ With the Boys. “I was still playing QB then.”
Travis Kelce is now considered one of the best tight ends in NFL history—his name sits among greats like Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, and Antonio Gates.
Currently, NFL players are still subject to regular drug testing, but will not be suspended for positive cannabis results. Instead, they can be fined or disciplined in other ways for repeated violations of the testing policy. In June 2023, Travis estimated that 50-80 percent of NFL players use cannabis, but are able to time their usage to pass tests, especially because of how much they sweat during training camp.
While Jason seemed upset by his brother’s treatment in 2013, Travis said that the draft “worked out perfect,” and he’s correct. He’s now played for the Chiefs for over a decade and has won three Super Bowls. They lost in the championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles last year, a big factor in the tight end choosing to defer his retirement.
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The next time someone tells you stoners are lazy, show them Travis Kelce. One of the best players the NFL has ever seen was a smoker, and he turned out just fine. Who knew weed made Super Bowl champions?