I’ve always understood why Travis Kelce’s nickname is “Big Yeti.” He’s incredibly large and very furry, like a Yeti. Somehow, I don’t think I’ve ever really SEEN the extreme Yeti-ness of Travis though. Not the way this Law Roach-styled GQ cover shoot has shown me. Travis looks HUGE and like he’s covered in hair everywhere. Not only that, GQ really leaned into Travis’s “Florida Man” vibe. Technically, the man is from Ohio, but spiritually, he’s a Florida Swamp Man, comfortable around snakes and gators. They really had him wading in a swamp wearing nothing but a bright yellow construction worker’s vest. Florida Chic. You can read Travis’s profile here – he talks so much about Taylor Swift and their relationship! Some highlights:
He loves Red Lobster: “Red Lobster was the nice spot for us to go to as a kid. We used to go there, see the lobsters in the tank like we were at an aquarium. We put on pants for that sh-t.”
The happiest guy in the world: “I love being the happiest guy in the world all the f–king time… I get all my negative energy out when I play football. When I’m out there on the field, I can hit somebody, I can talk sh-t. That’s where the meaner side of me is or the a–hole side of me.”
He’s not the party bro anymore: “I’m starting to phase out of wanting to be known as the party guy. When you see me hanging out at the US Open with Taylor, it may look like the two of us are partying. But I’m just enjoying the fun of being at this really cool event that I always wanted to go to with the person that I love…. I’ve become way more strategic in understanding what I am portraying to people. I have a good understanding of how I want to be portrayed.”
Whether he pays attention to the scrutiny he gets now because of Taylor: “You can’t block that out. If someone says something that they don’t like about you, you have to be able to understand how you are portraying yourself for them to say that. I’m a guy who doesn’t want anyone to say anything negative about me. Some people don’t give a f–k. I’m someone who does care. I do want people to look at me like I’m doing good in the world, I’m influencing and using my platform for the better, being a role model, being somebody that has done it the right way.”
The meathead jock stereotype: “I find it funny. I joke about it. It is what it is. I’m just out here living life. I don’t necessarily want everyone to think that I’m an idiot. There’s always something to learn. Acting like you’re the smartest one in the room just isn’t the way to go.”
His relationship with Taylor: “I get to be the plus one. I get to go and be that fan. Because I am a fan. I’m a fan of music. I’m a fan of art. And it’s so cool that I get to experience her being that plus one for me on the football field…. I feel that same enjoyment every time she comes to my shows. I sort of made her a football fan. She is the most engulfed fan now. She knows what the injury reports look like. She understands what special situations are, third and short—all these things because she just naturally loves to hear about my job.”
He & Taylor are in similar positions: “I hadn’t experienced somebody in the same shoes as me, having a partner who understands the scrutiny, understands the ups and downs of being in front of millions. That was very relatable, seeing how exhausted she would get after shows. She may not think of herself as an athlete. She will never tell anyone that she is an athlete. But I’ve seen what she goes through. I’ve seen the amount of work that she puts on her body, and it’s mind-blowing.”
The similarities between Taylor and his mom: “Their kindness, their genuineness, their ability to say hello to everyone in the room. Their ability to show love and support no matter what. And on top of that, their work ethic. I saw my mother reach goals that she had set for herself, go from being a teller to working all the way up in the KeyBank building.”
Regular people: “Whenever I’m with her, it feels like we’re just regular people… When there is not a camera on us, we’re just two people that are in love. It can be perceived as something else because of how much it is talked about and how much we are tracked whenever we do go out, but I would say that it’s as normal of…. It happened very organically even though from a media standpoint it was being tracked. It still happened very organically. Nothing I’ve ever done has been a controlled, organized process. When I say it was so organic, we fell in love just based off the people we were sitting in a room together with. We are two fun-loving people who have the morals to appreciate everyone for who they are. We share all those values. It kind of just took the f–k off.”
I loved everything he said about his relationship – it feels real to me, and you can feel his adoration for her and his respect for her. The Golden Retriever Boyfriend is all grown up! I also like that he acknowledges that he is paying attention to what’s being said and written, and he’s image-conscious without being self-conscious, if that makes sense. He has a team of people helping him create and maintain his public persona, but he’s also just… getting older and his priorities have matured and changed organically.
Travis Kelce stuns for GQ. pic.twitter.com/GPllAQpcZA
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 12, 2025
Travis Kelce styled by Law Roach for GQ. pic.twitter.com/Vtamw48xzU
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 12, 2025
Cover courtesy of GQ.