UPDATE, 7:45 p.m. | KSHB 41 Sports’ Mick Shaffer and Matt Foster are in Indianapolis discussing day three of the 2026 NFL Combine. Watch Mick and Matt give their thoughts in the video player below.
ORIGINAL STORY | Thirteen years ago, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was working his way through the NFL Combine.
Now he's inspiring the next generation of NFL tight ends who are going through those same drills in Indianapolis.
Whether in Kansas City or California, Kelce's influence on the tight end position covers every part of the country.
And even more so at his alma mater, where Kelce is the gold standard for University of Cincinnati tight ends like Joe Royer.
Royer discussed Kelce's significance to him with KSHB 41 Sports’ Matt Foster at the NFL Combine on Thursday.
"Even before I transferred to Cincinnati and played there, I always looked up to Travis and the way he plays the game," Royer said. "I just wanted to continue what he did."
In 2024, Royer broke Kelce's Cincinnati record for most receptions by a tight end in a single season.
Travis, of course, congratulated Royer on the accomplishment, and the pair now follow each other on Instagram.
Rockhurst alum John Michael Gyllenborg, who played tight end at the University of Wyoming for four years, talked about the multi-generational impact Kelce has.
"I think every kid growing up in my generation, and earlier, and today, all look up to Travis," Gyllenborg said.
USC tight end Lake McCree praised Kelce for his high-level playmaking ability, which has led to continued success for the future Hall of Famer.
"He has a really good feel for running routes, just finding grass and getting open," McCree said. "So I think that is a testament to his IQ and how smart he is."
It's still unclear whether Kelce has played his last game in a Chiefs uniform, but what's been clear is just how big an impact #87 has had on these tight end prospects.
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