Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has long been a man of the people, from his zealous “fight for your right” post-AFC title win quote to his act of shotgunning a beer at a faux Cincinnati graduation ceremony.
The three-time Super Bowl champ further cemented his reputation as one of the country’s most lovable celebrities and was full of jokes during the Chiefs’ second consecutive White House visit on Friday. While it’s customary for the reigning Super Bowl winners to be honored at the White House, it’s nearly unheard of for an NFL player to take the podium and give an individual speech to the audience during the ceremony.
One year after Kelce hilariously tried to take over the mic at last summer’s White House ceremony, the Chiefs tight end was welcomed by President Joe Biden himself to say a few words.
“Travis, come here,” President Biden said. “It’s all you, pal.”
“My fellow Americans,” Kelce said, “it’s nice to see you all yet again. I’m not gonna lie, President Biden, they told me if I came up here I’d get tased so I’m going to go back to my spot, alright?”
And of course Travis Kelce has a message for President Biden: https://t.co/TYF8k8XPD0 pic.twitter.com/MaEhQXY7Jw
The celebrations took a somber turn later in the ceremony, when Biden brought up the deadly shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade in February.
“But then, [as] Kansas City was celebrating your incredible win, we saw pride give way to tragedy,” Biden said. “Amid the chaos this team stepped up … This team is exceptional. As a country, we have to do more to stop the tragic shootings before they happen.”
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, who made controversial comments in a college commencement ceremony on May 16, was among the players in attendance on Friday.
The Chiefs have won three Lombardi Trophies in the last five years and are seeking a historic three-peat this season.
KRISTEN WONG
