Travis Kelce Explains Genesis of New Heights Podcast

New Heights kicks off only its fourth season this fall, but to the credit of Jason and Travis Kelce, the podcast feels like it’s been around for much longer.

Before the Chiefs begin their mandatory minicamp this week, the brothers spoke in France at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on Friday. And the Kansas City tight end used it as an opportunity to share the genesis of the immensely popular podcast.

“People didn't know we were brothers,” Travis Kelce said at the Amazon Port panel, “outside of just the name on the back of our jerseys. And I think they kind of saw two completely different people. As you see up here today, Jason, he doesn't dress as fashionably. He doesn't dress up, he dresses as. And I like to dress up.”

They can afford to dress however they like after Amazon-owned Wondery handed them a new contract for the podcast in August worth a reported $100 million-plus over three years. It’s a remarkable business boon considering that in the not-too-distant past, some people frowned on athletes openly sharing their thoughts during the season. Jason Kelce said their love for each other and the opportunity to bypass the filter of the media were overriding factors.

“We would go months in the season without really talking to each other,” said the former Eagles center. “And I think we always wanted to do something together. It’s really hard to do that when you're separated by time zones and trying to figure out things. But the world of podcasting had started to really expand into current players.

“Draymond Green, Pat McAfee started this show, Bussin' with the Boys, and there were more guys that were doing it while they were playing, which we were nervous of at the start. Because if you're doing it while you're playing, when you're winning, it's the best thing in the world. Answering questions and having to be entertaining while you're losing, people are like, ‘Why doesn't this dude just focus on football right now?’”

Travis & Jason explain why they started New Heights pic.twitter.com/ogAAspRs0m
— 🏈👑 | fan acct. (@TayvisHaze) June 16, 2025

At the end of the day, Jason Kelce said controlling their narrative erased any reluctant thoughts. An unfiltered message to the public and those interested in downloading their episodes, compared to what they said to the media in the locker room during the week or after games, pushed them across the goal line.

“Before, everything you said was always framed through a beat writer, an ESPN analyst, whoever,” Jason Kelce explained. “Now, we get to avoid all of that and have a direct connection with the fans, and it just felt like it was a much more authentic view of what we were trying to say.”

NFL owners heard what he had to say last month when he expanded on thoughts related to the Tush Push, Philadelphia’s nearly unstoppable quarterback sneak the Eagles perfected while he was their center. In the end, his remarks originally shared on New Heights to control his narrative – thoughts that his brother supported on the podcast -- were shared directly with owners and the measure to ban the play failed, two votes shy of the 24 teams needed.

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