Travis Kelce Salary: How much does the Chiefs tight end make?

While Chiefs fans and fantasy football players have been well acquainted with Travis Kelce for a while, the tight end has stepped ever further into the spotlight since linking up with Taylor Swift. Now, it seems like each day brings at least one new story about No. 87, whether that’s him dishing about Saturday Night Live or a report that he purchased a new mansion.

And with that spending on the metaphorical front page, it’s reasonable to think about Kelce’s salary. While the star has made plenty of money playing pro football, what does his bottom line actually look like?

Kelce Is Earning $12.25 Million in 2023

While contracts don’t always work out as planned, pro sports are, in theory, a meritocracy. If you’re successful in your role, you’re going to earn a sizable salary.

Kelce, by both metrics, has checked all the boxes.

During his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, the tight end has emerged as one of the game’s elite talents. While an injury cost Kelce essentially his entire rookie season, he’s been both healthy and productive ever since. Through the end of the 2022 season, he earned four First-Team All-Pro honors, eight Pro Bowl nods and, perhaps most importantly, two Super Bowl rings. The tight end’s connection with quarterback Patrick Mahomes was a key part of those two championships, and the AFC West franchise would look quite a bit different without No. 87.

With that in mind, it’s understandable that Kelce is earning some serious cash. According to Spotrac’s yearly cash data, he’s earning $12.25 million in 2023. That number will increase to $13 million in 2024 and $17.25 million in 2025.

What Has Kelce Earned in His NFL Career?

Given that the Cincinnati product joined the Chiefs in 2013, you might assume that he’s piled up a massive amount of cash over the years. That may be true by ordinary standards, but Kelce hasn’t earned that much compared to his NFL peers.

At this point, the tight end is on the third contract of his professional career. His first deal understandably didn’t pay much; the third-round draft pick took home just over $3 million across four years. His next deal upped the ante, paying out $46.8 million across a five-year term.

Kelce’s current contract, which he’s currently playing on, is his most lucrative yet. By the end of the pact, which runs through the 2025 season, Kelce will have another $57.25 million. Add that all up, and the tight end will have earned just over $77 million through the 2023 campaign and a little more than $107 million by the end of his current contract.

It’s also worth noting that the tight end also has plenty of endorsements, which probably pay him a pretty penny.

Kelce Say He’s Underpaid, But He Isn’t Concerned

If you consider that your salary should reflect your contributions to the organization, Kelce is underpaid. He’s put up elite numbers during his time in Kansas City, posting the fourth-most receiving yards since 2013. DeAndre Hopkins of the Tennessee Titans, who sits atop that list, has made more than $123 million in the pros; his annual salary has also peaked at a shade over $27 million in a single season.

Remember, Kelce’s annual high-water mark will be $17.25 million during the 2025 campaign.

Could Kelce demand to be paid like one of the league’s top pass-catchers? Sure, but he isn’t too concerned about his own paychecks.

“My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am,” the tight end told Tom Kludt of Vanity Fair in June 2023. “Any time I talk about wanting more money, they’re just like, ‘Why don’t you go to the Chiefs and ask them?'”

Ultimately, though, he understands the salary cap and is content trading some money for overall success.

“When I saw Tyreek [Hill] go and get 30 [million] a year, in the back of my head, I was like, man, that’s two to three times what I’m making right now,” he said. “I’m like, the free market looks like fun until you go somewhere and you don’t win. I love winning. I love the situation I’m in.”

That’s not to say that doubts don’t occasionally creep in, though.

“You see how much more money you could be making and, yeah, it hits you in the gut a little bit. It makes you think you’re being taken advantage of,” Kelce said. “I don’t know if I really pressed the gas if I would get what I’m quote-unquote worth…But I know I enjoy coming to that building every single day.”

And there you have it, straight from the man himself.