Introducing Papa Kelce: Meet Travis and Jason’s Dad Ed

While Donna Kelce is front and center at sons Travis and Jason Kelce’s games, their dad, Ed Kelce, is tied for their biggest fan.

Ed — who has lovingly been dubbed Papa Kelce — keeps things low-key as he supports his sons as they dominate the NFL.

After being drafted in 2011 and 2013, respectively, Jason and Travis made history as the first set of brothers to face off against each other at the Super Bowl in 2023.

Ahead of the game, Ed was prepared for the emotional match-up between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

Related: A Complete Guide to Travis and Jason Kelce's Family

NFL players Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce made history in 2023 when they became the first brothers to face off against each other at the Super Bowl. When Jason, who is a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Travis, who is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, cross paths on the football field, […]

“But by 10 o’clock Sunday night, somebody’s brokenhearted and somebody’s celebrating. We’ll deal with that the best we can when it happens,” he told the Los Angeles Times in February 2023, before the Chiefs won the championship.

Keep scrolling to get to know Papa Kelce:

1. Did Ed Kelce Play Sports?

Ed grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland playing baseball and football. He sustained a knee injury during his senior year of high school that ended his career. As Travis and Jason were discovering their love of sports as kids, Ed coached them.

“My job is to help you find a passion, and then feed that passion,” Ed shared on a February 2023 episode of his sons’ “New Heights” podcast. “Whatever you want to do, I’m there … It was very apparent to me when you were [in] high school that there was something outrageously special about both of you. Maybe even middle school.”

2. What Is Ed Kelce’s Job?

While Ed initially wanted to join the military, he was rejected due to his knee injury and Crohn’s disease diagnosis. Instead, he decided to join the steel industry as a sales representative. As Travis and Jason were growing up, Ed would bring them to the steel mill to show them what his job entailed.

“I’d take them there — hard hat, safety glasses, boots, the whole nine yards,” Ed told the Los Angeles Times in February 2023. “I’d tell them, `You can have a job like your mother’s, or you can have a job like mine.’”

Ed is now retired.

3. How did Ed Kelce Meet Donna Kelce?

On the “New Heights” podcast, Ed and Donna shared that they met while she was supposed to be on a date with another man. Donna stopped at a local bar where Ed was grabbing a drink after work and the pair hit it off.

“We were supposed to go to a play, and I never made it. Your dad and I talked forever,” Donna told her sons, adding jokingly, “It was a good play, too! I really wanted to see it.”

Ed confessed he was still dirty from his day at the steel lab and Donna offered to give him a ride home. Ed didn’t want the night to end so he decided to freshen up and take her out to another bar.

4. When Did Ed Kelce and Donna Kelce Divorce?

Following nearly 25 years of marriage, Ed and Donna called it quits after Travis and Jason both had graduated from college.

“If we had split as we probably both would have preferred, that would have been a nightmare with the logistics, getting kids where they had to be and providing all the support,” Ed explained in the Kelce documentary.

Despite divorcing, the exes remain on good terms and continue to support their sons as they attend their games together.

“I don’t hate him. We’re friends to this day. We get along great,” Donna said on the podcast. “We were like a tag team with you two. We got to do all sorts of fun things. When one of you had to go out of town, the other person would help with the other child. It was perfect.”

5. Where Does Ed Kelce Live?

Ed lives in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia — not too far from Jason and his family. In his free time, Ed is a doting grandfather to Jason and his wife Kylie’s three daughters: Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett.