Photo: Jessica McNeal
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrated receiving his diploma by chugging a beer on stage during a special 'New Heights' podcast live episode at his alma mater, the University of Cincinnati, Thursday (April 11) night.
Kelce and his brother, recently retired former Philadelphia Eagles center and fellow Cincinnati alum Jason Kelce, were surprised with a commencement ceremony during the event at Fifth Third Arena.
“A surprise commencement we’ll never forget. Congratulating him and Jason on (finally) picking up their diplomas,” the University of Cincinnati's athletics account wrote in a joint Instagram with Travis.
The three-time Super Bowl champion attended Cincinnati from 2008 to 2012, but never graduated, instead obtaining his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022. Kelce reportedly wanted to participate in Cincinnati's commencement at the time said but wasn't allowed to until he returned a helmet the school claimed he had in his possession.
Kelce's girlfriend, pop superstar Taylor Swift, wasn't spotted at the event, however, was referenced when the NFL star danced to her hit song 'Shake it Off' and wearing a beaded friendship bracelet synonymous with the singer during the event.
Kelce and Swift were recently spotted on Harbour Island last month amid his NFL offseason and a two-month pause in the international leg of her 'Eras Tour.' The three-time Super Bowl champion has been spotted with the singer throughout the offseason, having attended her concerts in Sydney and Singapore in the weeks following the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Kelce and Swift were also spotted on a lunch date in Los Angeles on March 24 after returning from their Bahamas vacation. Swift and Kelce had previously rushed back from Singapore to attend Madonna's Oscars 2024 afterparty in Los Angeles earlier that month, Page Six reported at the time.
The couple was reportedly spotted at the event, which is known as 'The Party' and was held at talent manager Guy Oseary's Hollywood Hills home, but managed to evade paparazzi as there was a strict no-cameras policy. The Party served as the first major Hollywood event Kelce attended with Swift since going public with their relationship last year, however, the two have not yet been spotted on a red carpet together.
Kelce, who returned to America for the Chiefs' delayed Super Bowl celebration and his brother Jason's NFL retirement after attending several of Swift's shows in Australia, reunited with the singer for several concerts in Singapore in March. The three-time Super Bowl champion famously revealed that he attempted to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number when he attended her concert at Arrowhead Stadium prior to their relationship last summer.
Swift later said that Travis "very adorably put me on blast" when he acknowledged the situation on his podcast, which she said "was metal as hell" while being featured as Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year' in December 2023.