Travis Kelce reached the NFL and became a Hall of Fame-caliber player in part because of his dedication to staying in shape, but he wasn't always so health-conscious.
Like many other boys growing up, Kelce had an affinity for junk food, including one snack in particular. On this week's episode of the "New Heights" podcast, the Kansas City Chiefs star said he used to load up on honey buns.
"I remember going to my mom and asking her in middle school - because we used to get school lunch - going to my mom in middle school and being like, ‘Mom can I get $5 a week so I can get a Fruitopia every day?' because a Fruitopia was $1," Kelce said, via People. "They had one drink machine, one vending machine where you could go and get a Fruitopia."
However, instead of spreading out those five bucks to buy a daily fruit drink, Kelce said he would "stock up" and pool together his money in order to buy as many honey buns as possible
"It turned into me just going and buying 50 cent honey buns," Kelce said. "Like, a ridiculous, like, [I'd spend] $5 worth on honey buns on Monday."
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 11: (L-R) Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles watch game six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on May 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
It got to the point where Kelce's mother Donna thought he was shoplifting when she discovered a stockpile of the sugary sweet treats in his backpack.
"And that's when my mom stopped giving me $5 for Fruitopias because I was turning into a big boy," Kelce said, revealing that he had to explain his scheme to his mom.
Flash forward to now, and Kelce, 35, is heading into his 13th NFL season. In order to prepare for the upcoming campaign, Kelce has reportedly lost 25 pounds, showing off a more streamlined physique this offseason.
"I think the biggest thing is that I love playing the game of football," Kelce said of his decision to return in 2025. "I love playing. I still feel like I can play it at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don't think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I've been in years past. I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended last year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me."
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This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 7:19 AM.