Tight end Travis Kelce is entering his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 36-year-old has carved out a legendary career with the franchise. With 11 Pro Bowl selections, he is the Chiefs' all-time leader in receptions (1,080), receiving yards (13,002) and touchdowns (82).
As the longest-tenured player in Kansas City, he's become a leader and a favorite among his teammates. Despite not putting up his usual production last season, linebacker Nick Bolton praised Kelce, saying, "He's leading by example... doing everything the right way and holding everybody to the right standard," according to A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman.
Bolton, who has been with the Chiefs since 2021, has expressed a very high opinion of Kelce, and it's obvious the feeling is mutual.
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On Monday, the University of Missouri posted a video of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announcing that Bolton is being inducted into the school's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
"We kick off the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 with a two-time Super Bowl champion. Congrats, HOF inductee Nick Bolton!" Missouri wrote in its post.
It was a special moment for the defender, and it didn't take long for the congratulatory comments to pour in.
Among those to applaud Bolton was Kelce, who wrote, "Nobody more deserving than Bolt!!! 🔥🔥."
During his time with the Tigers, Bolton appeared in 35 games, accumulating 224 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and 13 pass deflections. After his final season with Missouri, he was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chiefs.
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His message toward Bolton is a subtle yet telling example of his presence as a leader and motivator. With rumors that this could be his final season in the NFL, Kelce would no doubt love to finish on top, and having a strong core of veterans is key to that goal.
