It was a Super Bowl of rivals and Philly surely did not feel much “brotherly love” from the Kansas City Chiefs. But two siblings playing against each other had enough brotherly love to go around.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end and newly minted Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce talked about why he wears the number 87 on his jersey. It is a way to honor his brother, Jason Kelce, an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles.
“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 Kelce told NFL Films in an interview with his older brother prior to the Super Bowl.
“It’s very cool, Trav,” Jason Kelce responded.
Jason Kelce, 35, can’t reciprocate by wearing the number 89, his younger brother’s year of birth because the rules in the NFL stipulate certain positions can only wear certain numbers.
“I love him and I’ve tried to be a good big brother, but I think Trav sometimes gives me a lot of credit, but I’m just so happy for everything that he’s done to get to where he’s at,” Jason said.
“Seeing him turn into the player and the man that he is has been just the ultimate feeling of being proud,” he added.
Travis Kelce also said that Jason has been a good example for him.
“He’s paved the way,” he said. “I can’t think him enough for doing that. I just hope he stays as happy as he is right now and that that never changes for him and that he only wins one Super Bowl and that I win the rest.”
Travis and Jason Kelce are the first brothers to face each other in a Super Bowl. Travis now has two rings compared to the one his older brother wears.
“You joke around all the time and say that you want to beat your brother in the biggest stage ever, but it’s a weird feeling. It’s a weird feeling, and that team had great leadership, great coaches. Obviously, it came down to the end and we got all the respect in the world for those Eagles, man, but there’s nothing I could really say to him other than I love him and he played a hell of a year, a hell of a season,” Travis said.
Watch:
Travis Kelce reveals he wears #87 because of the year his brother Jason was born 🥺
(via @NFLFilms) | @TKelce | @JasonKelce pic.twitter.com/BGIqXCL9VX
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) February 8, 2023
