Travis Kelce (Getty Images)
In 2025, Travis Kelce found himself at the centre of an unexpected controversy after reports claimed the Kansas City Chiefs star had donated $3.3 million to help homeless young people. The story spread quickly across social media, with fans praising the NFL tight end for his reported generosity.
However, Kelce has now challenged those claims, making it clear that the donation was not what online reports suggested. His response has also raised questions about the growing influence of unverified stories and AI-generated content, especially when they involve high-profile athletes and their charitable work.
Travis Kelce addresses the $3.3 million charity donation claim
Last year, Kelce addressed the controversy during the an episode of his New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce. Rather than allowing the rumour to continue unchecked, the Chiefs star urged listeners to question what they see online."I gotta make a little statement in the don't-believe-everything-you-read-kids category, realm that you see online. Some false claims were thrown out there that I was doing something in the community that I was not," Kelce said during the episode. "I'm not even going to talk about it specifically, I don't want to bring any more attention to that whole nonsense and article and all that stuff."The tight end also directed fans towards his official charitable organisation, 87 & Running, for accurate information about his community work.
"But if you ever want to know exactly what I'm doing in the community, just go to 87 & Running.org," he said, referring to his official non-profit organization. "We're always trying to get out there, get in the Kansas City communities, in the Cleveland community, but this time, I wasn't doing what was falsely claimed by the social channels or outlets posting all this AI stuff."Kelce also acknowledged ESPN personality Pat McAfee, who had praised him as a "good human" while discussing the reported donation.
The NFL star thanked McAfee for his support but clarified that the underlying claim was false."So just wanted to set the record straight, appreciate everybody for always trying to show — especially Pat McAfee, he's always trying to look out for the guys, guys and women in the sports world."
What happened to the reported Foster Love donation?
The original report claimed that Kelce had donated $3.3 million to Foster Love to help establish a facility for young homeless people in Kansas City.
According to the Daily Mail, the charity had announced the contribution on social media.However, the New York Post reported that the social media announcement had since disappeared, along with a related story on Foster Love's website. The charity had also not immediately responded to a request for comment.Kelce founded 87 & Running in 2015 to support disadvantaged young people. The organisation focuses on education, business, athletics, STEM and the arts, helping young people access resources and opportunities in their communities.By directing fans to his nonprofit, Kelce made one point clear: people should verify charitable claims before sharing them. In an online environment where false reports can spread rapidly, even a positive story deserves scrutiny.