Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce dismissed concerns surrounding “net rest days” during the latest episode of New Heights alongside his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
The discussion began when Jason Kelce brought up frustration among Eagles fans regarding schedule disparities and whether teams receive advantages based on additional rest between games. He then asked Travis Kelce if he had heard about the increasingly discussed term.
“I don’t give a f**k about how much rest anybody gets,” Travis Kelce said.
Jason Kelce pushed back, pointing to data that suggests rest advantages can impact performance across an NFL season.
“It is a big deal though, facing teams that have more rest than you do,” Jason Kelce said. “I mean it’s been shown… They’ve been proving it through numbers and stuff.”
Travis Kelce doubled down on his stance while emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the NFL season and the importance of maintaining health over the course of a demanding schedule.
“Nice. Well, there you go,” Travis Kelce said. “I don’t really buy into the, you know, net rest and all that, man. The schedule’s there, you have to be fortunate in the NFL to stay as healthy as possible. It is what it is. That’s half of the battle and the fortune that comes in with the NFL season is being able to stay healthy or if you do get banged up, get healthy by the next week. It’s just a part of the f***ing NFL madness.”
Travis Kelce, Chiefs look to rebound after rare playoff absence
The comments come as the Chiefs attempt to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season that ended with the franchise missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Kansas City finished 6-11 and saw its season deteriorate further when quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late in the year.
Despite the struggles, the Chiefs remain one of the NFL’s defining organizations over the past decade. During that span, Kansas City reached seven AFC Championship Games, appeared in five Super Bowls and won three championships, with Kelce serving as one of the franchise’s central figures throughout the run.
Kelce, 36, is entering his 13th NFL season and continues to be one of the league’s most accomplished tight ends. Across his career, he has earned 10 Pro Bowl selections, four First Team All-Pro honors and three Second Team All-Pro selections while becoming a key part of Kansas City’s offensive identity.
The Chiefs will open the 2026 regular season on Sept. 14 with a Week 1 matchup against the division-rival Denver Broncos. The Monday Night Football contest is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN and ABC.
