Travis Kelce Admits He Wears the Number 87 Because He Is “Forever in Debt” to His Brother Jason
David Eulitt
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Last year, Jason and Travis Kelce became the most famous duo in football after having the honor of being the first brothers to go head-to-head in the Super Bowl. Since then, they have only gained more fame, thanks to their top-rated podcast, their lovable family, and, of course, a very high-profile relationship. But NFL fans know that they are two of the best players at their positions and they were both named to the Pro Bowl once again (Travis for his 9th time and Jason for his 7th).
But, even as they’re buying their jerseys in record numbers, devoted fans of the sport might not know the reason why they’ve chosen the numbers that appear on their chests. First, there are rules for the numbers particular players can wear based on their positions. The NFL recently relaxed some of the rules (adding 0 to the list of options in 2023), but offensive linemen like Jason must wear a jersey number between 50 and 79, and tight ends like Travis can choose from 0-49 and 80–89.
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Jason has a pragmatic reason for wearing number 62 (it’s the number he was given, and he’s been “honored” to wear it since he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011), but Travis is a bit more sentimental.
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Why does Travis Kelce Wear Number 87?
The Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end chose his number to pay tribute to his big brother. The younger Kelce sibling said, “If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987.”
After all, Travis owes a lot to Jason. When the two were playing college football at the University of Cincinnati, Travis was suspended from the team and lost his scholarship after failing a drug test. He moved in with Jason, who helped him get back on track. Travis said, “[Jason] went into the coaches office and talked to numerous coaches to try and give me another chance. I’m forever in debt to this guy for putting his name, our name—the Kelce name—on the line. When I say I owe it all to him, I really do.”
Now, more than a decade later, the two are on their way to the NFL Hall of Fame. We love to see them supporting each other, on and off the field.
