Kylie Kelce has never been particularly interested in letting her husband's NFL career define her.
And during a recent conversation with Michelle Obama, she made it clear that she believes other women in the sports world deserve that same consideration.
The former college field hockey player and wife of retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce appeared on the Oct. 15 episode of "IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson," where the discussion turned to a familiar label in professional sports: WAG, an acronym for wives and girlfriends.
Kylie, 34, explained why she takes issue with the way the term can overshadow women's individual accomplishments. To make her point, she brought up someone who knows that world particularly well: Brittany Mahomes.
The wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has spent years building a career and identity of her own, including helping establish a professional women's soccer franchise in Kansas City.
And Kylie wanted to make sure that work wasn't overlooked.
Kylie Kelce Highlights Brittany Mahomes' Impact Beyond the NFL
During her conversation with Obama and Robinson, Kylie pushed back against the idea that women should be identified primarily through their relationships with professional athletes.
She pointed to Brittany, a former soccer player who has become a prominent figure in the National Women's Soccer League, as an example of why that perspective misses so much.
"Brittany Mahomes is a great example. What she's done for women's sports and women's soccer in the Kansas City area is so impressive," Kylie said.
It was a meaningful endorsement from someone who has experienced the intense attention that comes with being part of an NFL family.
Kylie married Jason in April 2018, and the couple now share four daughters. Throughout Jason's 13-season career with the Eagles, she developed relationships with other women connected to the team and saw firsthand how much of their lives existed beyond football.
"I was always really excited about the women that we had with the Eagles that I was fortunate enough to be with there, and just never really wanted them to be diminished," Kylie explained.
She also questioned why conversations about athletes' partners so often begin and end with whom they're dating or married to.
"Reducing things that women have going on, I find it underwhelming," she said.
For Kylie, Brittany's work in Kansas City offered a concrete example of the accomplishments that can get lost when women are viewed primarily as someone's wife or girlfriend.
And Brittany clearly appreciated the recognition.
Brittany Mahomes Responds to Kylie Kelce's Unexpected Shoutout
Following the podcast episode, Brittany shared a message of appreciation on her Instagram Stories.
"Thank you!!! 🙏🏻🤍 @kykelce," she wrote Thursday, Oct. 15, reposting a social media graphic highlighting Kylie's remarks.
The exchange brought attention to a side of Brittany's life that extends well beyond her appearances at Chiefs games.
Before marrying Patrick, Brittany played collegiate soccer at the University of Texas at Tyler and later competed professionally in Iceland. Her involvement in the sport continued after her playing career ended.
She became part of the ownership group behind the Kansas City Current, helping bring professional women's soccer back to the city in 2020.
The club has since become one of the NWSL's most notable success stories, particularly with the opening of CPKC Stadium in 2024.
Built specifically for the Current, the Kansas City venue became the first stadium constructed expressly for a professional women's sports team. Its opening represented a significant investment in women's soccer and the belief that the sport deserved facilities designed around its own athletes and fans.
Brittany's role in that growth has also earned recognition beyond Kansas City. She was previously honored at United WE's Champions for Change event for her leadership.
It's a résumé that speaks for itself, which was precisely Kylie's point.
During the podcast, Kylie said she would rather hear about the work women are doing, the careers they've built and the ways they're contributing to their communities.
"I would far rather hear the stories about how they're impacting the community, what jobs they hold, what they focused on, what their interests were, personally. But I get it," she said.
Brittany and Kylie have plenty in common through their connections to two of the NFL's most recognizable families. Both are raising young children while navigating the attention that comes with their husbands' football careers.
But Kylie's comments offered a reminder that their lives, ambitions and accomplishments extend well beyond the NFL.
And for Brittany, a simple Instagram thank-you showed just how much she appreciated someone recognizing that work.
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