Kelce Attains Prestigious NFL Honor for Second Straight Season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If indeed Travis Kelce is playing his final NFL games, he’ll ride into the Hall of Fame with another impressive feather in his cap.

The NFL’s most popular player.

The league on Monday announced that for a second consecutive season the Kansas City tight end led all players in fan Pro Bowl voting, which ended Dec. 15. And it was not close.

kelce, josh alle — Oct 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) talks with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The final numbers

Kelce earned 420,383 fan votes. That’s better than 157,000 more than the No. 2 vote-getter, reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen (263,127). New England quarterback Drake Maye, and Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Kevin Byard completed the top five.

In his 13th season out of Cincinnati, Kelce in Sunday’s loss at Tennessee became just the second player in league annals to post 12 consecutive 800-yard receiving seasons, joining Jerry Rice. This season, Kelce has 803 yards and five touchdowns on 63 catches.

travis kelc — Dec 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Kansas City also finished fourth as a team in cumulative voting. The Chicago Bears led the league in that category, followed by Denver and Green Bay. Detroit finished fifth.

The NFL will unveil AFC and NFC player rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday at 9 a.m. CT.

travis kelce, taylor swif — Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Already a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, Kelce is one-third of the way to an 11th. Fan voting accounts for one-third of the needed votes. The other two thirds come from coaches and players. No other professional sports league combines fan, coach and player voting to determine all-star players.

The league’s players and coaches submitted their final tallies on Friday.

This season, the league moved its Pro Bowl Games to the Super Bowl site, the San Francisco Bay Area. Believed to be on its last legs, the event in recent years has shifted from a traditional football game in full pads to an Olympic-style skills competition that concludes with a flag football contest.

eli mannin — Feb 2, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC coach Eli Manning reacts after the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Even if the event goes away, the Pro Bowl voting will surely continue. It’s considered a mark of respect among players, and routinely serves as a contract incentive in many player deals.

Rice, ironically, is one of two coaches selected to lead the Pro Bowl squads this year. The legendary 49ers wide receiver will coach the NFC flag-football squad while Steve Young, another former 49er, will serve as his Hall of Famer counterpart and head up the AFC team.

jerry rice, steve youn — Aug 8, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Jerry Rice (left) and Steve Young during the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Flag football for the first time will make up the roster of sports at the summer Olympics, slated for Los Angeles in 2028.

This year’s flag-football game takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 3, and will air live from San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

The league is transforming the historic building into a football arena. ESPN kicks off coverage of the Pro Bowl Games at 5:30 p.m. CT, and the flag game begins at 7 p.m. CT.

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