Travis Kelce has a new appreciation for team mascots after donning part of a costume himself on a recent episode of New Heights, the podcast he co-hosts with his brother Jason.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end appeared on the Wednesday, Oct. 2, video podcast episode wearing the head portion of the costume for the Red Raider, the Texas Tech University mascot. As the NFL star later explained to his retired Philadelphia Eagles center brother, he had to wear the mascot head after their college alma mater lost a game to the Lubbock, Texas, college football team.
"The Texas Tech Red Raiders beat up on our [University of] Cincinnati Bearcats over the weekend," Travis, 34, explained from inside the Red Raider's head. Travis and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who previously played football for Texas Tech, "had a fun little wager" going into the game.
"If the Bearcats would've won, Pat would have been at the press conference that he has every single week wearing a Bearcat mascot head-and, sure enough, as you can see, the Bearcats lost," Travis continued. "Because I'm sitting here looking like an idiot wearing this Red Raiders mascot head."
We've got a great show, but first Trav had to settle a bet with @PatrickMahomes
— New Heights (@newheightshow) October 2, 2024
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW: https://t.co/dVgn2DadOYpic.twitter.com/bBK7pZQlJA
Jason, 36, assured his younger brother, "You don't look like an idiot at all," but suggested Travis did look like Looney Tunes character Yosemite Sam. The comparison got a chuckle out of Travis, who revealed that he felt "a little bit" like he was "hyperventilating" while trying to breathe inside the mascot head.
"It's extremely hot under here," Travis observed. "There's not a lot of air coming through this thing."
When Jason asked Travis if he had "a newfound respect for mascots" after wearing part of a costume himself, the Grotesquerie actor's response was immediate.
"Not that I didn't already respect them, but I mean, if this is what they're doing in Lubbock, Texas, in 100-degree dry-a-- heat, f--- that," Travis declared.
After appearing on video while wearing the mascot head for several minutes, Travis removed it and noted that, despite the Bearcats' 44-41 loss against Texas Tech on Saturday, Sept. 28, it was still a "great game."
"Shout out to the Texas Tech Red Raiders for getting the ‘W,'" Travis said. "It's the first time the Bearcats played Tech, and me and Pat wanted to have some fun with it."
Next: Travis Kelce Reveals Incriminating Secret He's Been Keeping Since High School
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This story was originally published October 2, 2024 at 8:48 PM