Did Travis Kelce Gain Weight? Debunking the Viral Rumors Around His Chiefs Training Camp Look

Travis Kelce reported to Chiefs training camp ahead of what’s likely his last NFL season in 2026. | Screengrab on Twitter/@TaylorBurr10

New Chiefs season, new(ly married) Travis Kelce. And a new... beer gut?

The Chiefs’ most popular tight end reported to training camp for what is probably his last dance in Kansas City following a busy summer that saw him tie the knot with his pop star fiancé, Taylor Swift. As one of Swift’s songs aptly states, haters are gonna hate, hate, hate on Kelce no matter how well or poorly he performs in his 14th NFL campaign, and that proved true right at the start of camp.

Less than a week after Kelce joined his teammates for offseason workouts, several videos began to make the rounds on social media showing Kelce with a noticeable belly or beer gut at practice. Onlookers immediately began speculating as to whether the 36-year-old had gained some weight, a criticism that Kelce has received in recent years as a popular athlete who is constantly in the public eye.

To put those rumors to bed: No, Kelce is not out of shape, despite what those viral A.I. videos might suggest. The Athletic’s Jesse Newell shared an un-doctored image of Kelce arriving to camp this week looking as fit as he was at the end of last season, if not more so.

Because I saw the fake Travis Kelce beer gut AI practice video about 10 times this weekend … here is what Travis Kelce looks like at Chiefs camp this morning. pic.twitter.com/ft7n3rVtid

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) August 3, 2026

Here’s another video of him, sans beer gut, heading to the field:

Travis Kelce arrives for year 14 🫡

(via @TaylorBurr10) pic.twitter.com/TuwpD1w9C6

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 29, 2026

No reason anybody should be pointing out or judging his physique now.

There was one thing that Kelce did change, however, and it will particularly appeal to the superstitious Chiefs fans...

El Travedor is back: a brief history of Travis Kelce’s iconic mustache

On the cusp of retirement and perhaps playing out the final year of his Chiefs era, Kelce decided to bring back his iconic ‘stache one more time.

Dating back to at least the 2023 and ‘24 seasons, Kelce rocked a Freddie Mercury-esque mustache at training camp, a look that polarized fans but allegedly brought good luck to the Chiefs.

“There's always magic to the ‘stache,” Kelce told PEOPLE in October 2024. “There's an aura around it. It just brings success.

“I grow out the stache every training camp—or at least I have the past three or four years since we've been making these title runs in honor of coach Andy Reid. He is the walrus!”

That tradition came to an end ahead of the 2025 season, when Kelce ditched the ‘stache and instead showed up to camp with a beard and longer hair that he later shaved off. Many theorized that his then-fiancé was responsible for the change in his physical appearance, though he could have just wanted to shake things up after suffering an embarrassing blowout loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

Fast forward to August 2026, and the trademark ‘stache is back. And so is his endearing nickname that was inspired by his notable patch of facial hair, “El Travedor.”

El Travedor has returned 👨🏻 pic.twitter.com/rvUVDNjWl7

— New Heights (@newheightshow) August 3, 2026

Is there a correlation between Kelce’s choice of facial hair and the Chiefs’ success? It’s a fun theory for sure. Here’s what the history says:

In 2019, when the Chiefs won their first Lombardi Trophy of the Patrick Mahomes era, Kelce sported a groomed beard, a high fade hairstyle and even an earring—reminiscent of his Catching Kelce days—at training camp.

The following season, Kelce kept the high fade and grew out a goatee (dare we say, his worst preseason look). The Chiefs went on to lose to Tom Brady’s Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

In 2021, Kelce was first spotted with his “El Travedor” mustache at camp, and Kansas City bowed out of that year’s playoffs in a 27-24 AFC championship defeat to the Bengals. In ‘22, Kelce opted for a buzzed cut paired with a fuller beard; the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 in the Super Bowl to extend their dynastic run.

Then, in ‘23 and ‘24, when Kelce rocked the ‘stache in preseason, Kansas City made it to the Super Bowl both times, but won one game and lost another. The franchise is currently coming off its worst finish in the Mahomes era (6-11, missed the playoffs), with a ‘stache-less Kelce continuing to suffer a drop-off in form (76 catches for 851 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the regular season) and no longer looking as dominant as he once was on the field.

Will the ‘stache revive his powers this year? That, combined with a witchy dose of Tayvoodoo, and things could be looking up for the once-down bad Chiefs.

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