Cleveland's own Travis Kelce has seen a massive boost to his already famous profile in recent years due to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift. Along with being one of the best tight ends to suit up in the NFL, the Cleveland Heights native has become a mainstay in pop culture because of the mega-star influence of his girlfriend.
Due to his booming popularity, Kelce had an interview for an in-depth article with Sean Manning of GQ. They discussed a variety of topics, including his decision to return for another season, his life after football, and obviously his relationship with Swift. One topic that should stand out to Browns fans is Kelce's recollection of pleading with the Browns to take him during a pre-draft interview back in 2013.
Travis Kelce begged Browns to draft him in 2013
Kelce reflected on his meeting with the Browns and then head coach Rob Chudzinski, where he teared up proclaiming his love for the city and his desire to play for the Browns. The All-Pro tight end thinks his raw emotion surprised Chudzinski, and the Browns didn't end up taking an offensive player in that class until round seven. Kelce was taken by Kansas City in round three.
"I cried in Chud’s office and said, ‘I will f-ing die for this city!’ I literally was in tears. I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m getting emotional. I grew up down the street. I would fucking do anything to play for the Cleveland Browns.’ He looked at me like I was insane. I don’t think he’d ever had somebody just pour out their emotions."Travis Kelce
While it seems like Kelce and the Browns were destined to come together at some point, he's entering his age-36 season and is more likely to spend out his final days chasing Super Bowls and adding to his likely Hall of Fame resume. In an alternate universe, Kelce would have had his tremendous career with Cleveland as the hometown product, but unfortunately, that is not the reality we are in.