Travis Kelce makes $12 million a year in base salary, but can earn millions more depending on bonuses

Travis Kelce’s net worth might come as a surprise to Taylor Swift fans who think the pop star put the football player “on the map.” But for longtime followers of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Kelce’s big bank account reflects the big deal he is—and has been for quite some time—in sports. (That said, he doesn’t make nearly as much as a star quarterback.)

Here’s a look at the athlete’s net worth in 2024, how he got his start and more.

Kelce grew up playing multiple sports, including football, baseball and basketball. When it was time to go to college, he followed his equally athletic brother—now-retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce—to play football at the University of Cincinnati.

Being two years behind him, I’ve naturally always kind of followed his footsteps,” he said in an interview with NFL Films.

In 2009, his freshman year, Kelce’s college football career nearly came to an end when he failed a drug test. His scholarship was revoked and he was kicked off the team. But his brother had his back, moving Kelce in with him and speaking to the head coach about allowing him back on the team.

“I’ve never really asked how he got me back on the team,” Kelce told Sports Illustrated. “That was my brother just being a big brother, looking out for me every step of the way and fighting for the success story.”

In 2011, Kelce’s brother was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Two years later, Kelce was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the draft, a team he remains on and has won three Super Bowls with.

Travis Kelce has an estimated 2024 net worth of $50 million. While that does make him a very rich man, he’s not one of the richest football players.

Although no one would deny Kelce is well-paid, his value as a tight end just can’t compete with that of a successful quarterback. Jalen Hurts, for example—QB for the Philadelphia Eagles and highest-paid QB in the NFL, according to Sports Illustrated—is signed to a five-year, $255 million contract with an average annual value of $51 million. Although contracts are almost impossible to compare side by side, this makes Hurts’ deal about four times more lucrative than Kelce’s.

Travis Kelce makes $12 million a year in base salary, but can earn millions more depending on bonuses, performance and other factors of his contract.
How much did Travis Kelce sign with the Kansas City Chiefs for?

Kelce was initially signed to a four-year, $3.13 million contract with the Chiefs back in 2013. It goes to show how successful he’s been that in 2022, he inked a four-year, $57.25 million contract with the same team, which includes $22.75 million guaranteed.