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Why Travis Kelce was once kicked off his college team; 2010 incident resurface amid retirement talks
Travis Kelce’s college suspension resurfaced after the Chiefs missed playoffs. He failed a drug test before the 2010 Sugar Bowl, calling it a wake-up moment.
Tavis Kelce is undoubtedly one of the most animated characters in the Kansas City Chiefs dressing room. With his season ending on a low, as the Chiefs failed to qualify for the NFL playoffs this season, one of the moments of college football life has resurfaced.
Kelce's college football career had a big controversy when he was kicked off the team for one whole season after he ended up partying too much the night before a game and failed the drug test. As an athlete at the University of Cincinnati, Kelce was placed out of his sophomore season after he failed a drug test. What's worse, the incident came just ahead of the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans between the Florida Gators and the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Kelce recalled the incident at the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast with Taylor Lewan and Will Compton back in July 2023. He revealed that the incident made him realize he "gotta tighten the f*** up."
But the incident marked a significant point in the career of Kelce, who was playing a QB then - a position he played through high school. It was during this suspension that he was sent to the tight ends' room and he ended up becoming a tight end for good.
"What it did was it really kicked me into the tight end room. I was still playing QB then," Kelce said about the incident. "It was like, 'Alright, you can come walk on the team, but we don't need a quarterback. You can just be an athlete on the scout team for a year, we'll figure it out.'"
Also read: Travis Kelce hints at retirement at Chiefs vs Broncos after flop season; ‘let down Andy Reid’
Travis Kelce's 2025-2026 Season Highlights
The Chiefs faced a disappointing 2025 season that saw them eliminated from playoff contention, but Kelce’s personal milestones and continued excellence were undeniable. In the 2025 season so far, he has 68 receptions for 803 yards with five touchdowns.
He turned in several standout performances, including a 44-yard reception against the Las Vegas Raiders. It was his longest play of the season, and coupled with multiple games with six or more catches, such as a 99-yard receiving night versus the Washington Commanders, it was indeed a good season for the tight end personally.
