Travis Kelce may have built a Hall of Fame legacy with the Kansas City Chiefs, but deep down, he’s still the kid from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. That local pride resurfaced in a big way recently when his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.
During a recent episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce and his brother Jason discussed the unexpected fall of Sanders in the draft. The moment Shedeur’s name came up, Travis beamed. He pointed to his heart and said what many Browns fans are thinking: this pick just feels right.
Why does Kelce love this selection so much? The veteran tight end believes Cleveland is getting a hard-working swag champ with something to prove, and that should be a recipe for success for Sanders and the Browns.
Read More: 10 Reasons Travis Kelce Is a Better Tight End Than Rob Gronkowski
Travis Kelce Believes in Shedeur Sanders’ Potential
Kelce didn’t hold back on his support for the former Colorado QB. He openly criticized the anonymous naysayers who spread doubts about Sanders during the pre-draft process. Instead, he focused on what really matters: the film and the work ethic.
“What I saw of the film, I thought he was a way higher pick, it doesn’t seem like he’s a terrible person.” Kelce said. “It seems like he’s just a motivated football player, part of a big football family. He and his dad took over NCAA football for the past few years. This is a fresh start for him.”
Kelce believes Sanders brings the right mix of chip-on-the-shoulder energy and raw talent to eventually thrive in Cleveland. He even predicted that Sanders has a real shot at becoming the Browns’ starting quarterback down the line.
Read More: Ranking the 20 Most Marketable NFL Players Right Now
Browns’ Underdog Story Hits Home for Kelce Brothers
What makes Kelce’s endorsement even more authentic is that both he and Jason know what it’s like to be overlooked. Travis was a third-round pick, Jason a sixth. Yet both have carved out careers destined for Canton. That underdog story is what they see in Shedeur Sanders — and what gives them hope that he can change the narrative for the Browns.
To cap off the conversation, Kelce threw in a warm, hometown offer: if Shedeur needs food recommendations around Cleveland, he’s got him covered. More than anything, Kelce is rooting for Sanders to succeed — not just as a quarterback, but as the next leader of the franchise he quietly still loves.
For the Browns, it might just be the start of something bigger.
Read More: Yes, Travis Kelce IS the Best Tight End of All Time
