The Kansas City Chiefs have maintained high consistency recently, anchored by Travis Kelce. The veteran tight end remains one of the NFL’s most dependable targets.
Kelce has never been one to shy away from candid takes. His past comments continue to circulate, sparking fresh debate about league policies and player habits.
Travis Kelce’s Cannabis Claims About NFL Players Resurface
Travis Kelce
Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
In June 2025, public interest returned to the comments Kelce made during a June 2023 Vanity Fair interview. Kelce suggested that cannabis use is prevalent among 50% to 80% of NFL players. He detailed the methods they employ to navigate the league’s drug-testing protocols without testing positive.
“If you just stop in the middle of July, you’re fine. Guys stop a week before & they still pass because everybody working out in the heat.”
NEWS: #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce said that between 50-80% of players in the #NFL use cannabis.
Travis said many players evade pass drug tests:
“If you just stop in the middle of July, you’re fine. Guys stop a week before & they still pass because everybody working out in the heat” pic.twitter.com/LMeCjAvBRj
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 31, 2026
Kelce’s comments align with policy changes introduced in the NFL’s 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The league eliminated year-round marijuana testing and raised the THC threshold, effectively narrowing testing to a short preseason window.
This transition changed players’ approaches to cannabis. Although technically banned, penalties have eased. Suspensions are no longer standard. Fines or treatment referrals are more common outcomes. The NFL has also funded research into cannabinoids for pain management.
Kelce’s estimate is not an outlier among former players. Names like Martellus Bennett and Ricky Williams have previously suggested similarly high usage rates. The league has never released official figures, leaving such claims anecdotal but persistent.
Kelce’s comments highlight a broader tension within the NFL, balancing evolving public views with longstanding league rules.
Fan reaction to Kelce’s cannabis claims about NFL players quickly turned into a mix of humor and frustration. One usercommented,
“I thought NFL stopped testing for weed?”questioning whether the policy still carries weight.
Another fanwrote,
“If 80% are on it and still playing at this level, maybe we should stop calling it a drug and start calling it a supplement.”
The frustration was clear, with one userwriting,
“NFL owes Josh Gordon a settlement wth..”referencing past suspensions tied to marijuana use.
Others weren’t as convinced, with onewriting,
“Pretty dumb the league even tests for it still.”
Another added a personal anecdote,saying,
“I smoked weed while in the army and got drug tested a week later both times and since I was running daily and in insane shape with barely any body fat I never teated positive.”
The overall response suggests fans increasingly view the league’s cannabis policy as outdated compared to current realities.