TRAVIS Kelce is one of the most successful, popular, and marketable stars in the NFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has become a darling of the media and a popular pitchman thanks to his effervescent personality and relationship with popstar Taylor Swift.
But Kelce is not a one-man band.
He has a strong cast of characters around him who keep the NFL star company, help him look his best – and enable the Chiefs icon to capitalize on his ever-growing fame and fortune.
Here is a look at Kelce’s inner circle from childhood friends in Ohio to an unemployed NFL star and a pair of whizzkid twin brothers.
Aric Jones became close friends with Kelce at the Cleveland Heights Recreation Center when the future NFL star was just five years old.
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And the pair have remained extremely tight ever since.
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“We were on the Mighty Mites Hockey team together,” Jones told People.
“I was four, Trav was five, and he was the biggest and the best player on the team, and I was the smallest and the funniest player on the team.”
After Jones finished studying at Tennessee State University in 2014, Kelce invited him to move into his house in Kansas City.
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The childhood friend was initially apprehensive about the move.
“I was just like, ‘Are you sure this is cool? I don’t want to be a burden on you’,” Jones told Vanity Fair.
“He just sent me a picture of a bedroom and said, ‘Here’s your room. It’s waiting for you.'”
The duo lived together for two years before Jones relocated to Washington DC.
Jones has remained a key part of Kelce’s inner circle and is often seen sitting near Swift at Chiefs games.
He was also by Kelce’s side for his hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, and traveled with him to the Coachella music festival.
Jones believes Kelce’s core friend group has played a major role in the NFL star’s success.
“Still, to this day, as a group of friends, we all have a saying to each other: do your job, and everybody is a star in their own role,” he said.
“And if we all do our job, contributing to each other’s success, then great things happen, like our 4th Super Bowl appearance.
“Travis is the car, and everybody sees the Bentley, and they see the Ferrari, but are you popping the hood? ‘Cause we’re the engine. And that’s the way I look at it.”
When Kelce recently made the long trek to Australia to be with Swift, he did not go alone.
The 34-year-old was joined for the ride by best friend and fellow tight end Ross Travis.
A former teammate of Kelce’s at the Chiefs, the 6-foot-7 Ross took an unconventional route to the NFL.
Travis was a college basketball star for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
He finished his career as a four-year letterman and played a career total of 133 games, starting 98.
Despite not playing football since high school, Travis declared for the NFL Draft in 2015.
He wasn’t selected but signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in September of that year.
The Minnesota native suited up 17 times over the next two seasons before being released by Kansas City in November 2017.
Since then, he has enjoyed spells with the Indianapolis Colts, the New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions.
Travis was last on an NFL roster in 2021 and is currently a free agent.
He has been a regular in the Kelce suite at NFL games during the 2023 season and posts a number of photos on Instagram of the friends out and about.
Kelce has made waves off the field over the past year with his meticulous high-fade haircut.
Such is the interest in Kelce’s haircut that barbers are being inundated with requests for The Travis Kelce.
The mastermind behind Kelce’s simple but iconic haircut is barber Patrick ‘Patty Cuts’ Regan.
Regan, who was born and raised outside of Philadelphia, first met Kelce six years ago when the icon was training in Florida over the off-season.
The two struck an immediate bond after Regan immediately agreed to a 6 am haircut requested by Kelce.
Kelce now brings Regan to Kansas City every week for the season for a haircut.
“I have barbers that message me … ‘Hey, someone just came in and showed a picture of your haircut on Travis for me to do,'” he told the New York Post.
“And I can’t tell you how many times I got those messages.”
Regan has met a number of celebrities in his work – including Swift – and says he has even become close friends with many of his famous clients.
“It’s something that I love being a part of,” said Regan.
“It’s not really just like making the money, it’s more about the experiences.”
Ferguson was one of Kelce’s childhood friends in Cleveland – and now he is the NFL star’s personal chef.
He was working as a truck driver when he got a call from Kelce in 2016 asking for help with his diet.
“I flew out four days later and we haven’t looked back since,” Ferguson told Kansas City Magazine.
During the football season, Ferguson cooks three meals a day for the athlete, while also shopping for groceries.
Meals include oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast and a seafood alfredo for dinner.
“It’s fun, but I do take it seriously,” Ferguson told Starland News.
“Just knowing that I can have some type of impact on his health.
“I try to just bring my best to that to make sure he’s equipped on the field and fueled up.”
Ferguson has since created his own company called Ku Eats Fresh.
“Everything about Travis’ diet and what we do is intentional,” he continued.
“Everything is for fuel, for comfort, hydration, nutrition. There is purpose behind every dish.
“You go into the grocery store with that mindset. You go into the kitchen with that mindset.
“You put that intention into the food and then you hope that it translates to optimized health.”
The twin brothers, who grew up in Cleveland, are Kelce’s business managers.
And thanks to their expertise, Kelce has secured commercial deals with the likes of State Farm, DirecTV, Lowe’s, Experian, Pfizer, and Campbell’s Soup.
Kelce has also launched his own clothing line, among 28 investments.
The Eanes brothers manage Kelce’s business life from the reality dating show Catching Kelce to hosting Saturday Night Live.
“People say to me, ‘Man, it’s been a crazy year,'” Aaron Eanes told the New York Times.
“When I say, ‘Actually, it’s not that crazy,’ people look at me funny.
“It’s because it’s easy when you have a plan. We’re executing that plan.”
As Kelce’s fame has skyrocketed, they are now considering everything from Hollywood movies to hosting game shows.
“We positioned Travis to be world-famous,” Andre Eanes said.