Jason and Travis Kelce's parents agreed to postpone their divorce until after their sons finished college (2024)
Amanda Goh
Updated ·2-min read
Donna Kelce said she and her now ex-husband, Ed Kelce, decided to stay married until their sons finished college.
"We worked together as a team," Kelce said on "The Martha Stewart Podcast."
Both parents still regularly attend their sons' NFL games, sometimes with Taylor Swift.
Donna Kelce, 71, said she and her now ex-husband decided to divorce only after their sons, Jason and Travis Kelce, graduated from college.
During an episode of "The Martha Stewart Podcast" released on Wednesday, Donna Kelce reflected on how she and Ed Kelce decided to stay together for almost 25 years in order to raise their sons under one roof.
"We worked together as a team," she said. "So we decided that we would be married throughout the entire time that the kids were in the house, and that's the way it worked out."
She added that it was "very, very difficult to raise children on your own," more so since her sons were both very active.
The Kelce family lived in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and both Jason and Travis went on to study and play football at the University of Cincinnati.
Jason started his NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 and retired earlier this year. Travis has been playing for the Kansas City Chiefs ever since he was drafted in 2013.
This isn't the first time the family has spoken about their unique family situation.
In "Kelce," the 2023 Amazon Prime Video documentary about their elder son, Jason Kelce, Ed Kelce explained why choosing to stay married was the best option for the family.
"If we had split as we probably both would have preferred, that would have been a nightmare with the logistics, getting kids where they had to be and providing all the support," he said, according to People.
Even though they've been separated for some time, both parents still regularly attend their sons' NFL games.
Earlier this year, during the Super Bowl, they were spotted cheering on Travis Kelce from the VIP box at Allegiant Stadium with Taylor Swift and other celebrities.
And it's not just celebrities: Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family and Marriage Research found that the divorce rate among those age 65 and older had tripled from 1990 to 2021.
But divorce isn't the best option for everyone. Alex Kapp, a divorce manager, previously shared with Business Insider signs a relationship could be salvaged, including both parties still loving each other and being willing to re-establish communication.
Donna Kelce shared her reasons for delaying her divorce from Ed Kelce. Both parents wanted to raise Jason
Jason
Jason Daniel Kelce (/ˈkɛlsi/ KEL-see; born November 5, 1987) is an American former football center who played his entire 13-year career for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).
and Travis Kelce together until they graduated from college. When done well, a therapist said this can be a simpler and cheaper option than divorcing sooner.
He currently lives a mile away from the nine-acre farm where Jason and Kylie are raising their family, though he regularly visits to help with growing produce in their garden, as he explained to the Los Angeles Times.
Jason and Kylie Kelce celebrate wedding anniversary: What to know about their family. The former NFL star and his wife are parents of three. Former NFL star Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie are the parents of three daughters.
On the "New Heights" podcast in 2023, Jason and Travis Kelce spoke to their mom about her marriage to their father, which lasted for over 20 years, before Donna Kelce confirmed she and Ed Kelce divorced over 10 years ago. Donna Kelce said she and Ed Kelce are "friends to this day."
Jason, who announced his retirement from the NFL in March 2024, and his wife, Kylie McDevitt, are proud parents of three daughters — Wyatt Elizabeth, Elliotte Ray and Bennett Llewellyn. The couple welcomed their youngest daughter in February 2023, shortly after the Super Bowl.
The real ring, however, was never found even after a metal detector was used to try and locate it. “We have still yet to find it,” Kelce said. “All of this stuff has been thrown away. So I think we can safely assume that my Super Bowl ring is now in a landfill someplace in the Cincinnati tri-state area.”
Early life. Kelce was born and grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the son of Ed Kelce, a sales rep in the steel business, and Donna, who works in banking. He is the older brother of Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Q: What is Travis Kelce's net worth? A: As of 2024, Travis Kelce's estimated net worth is around $30 million. His wealth primarily comes from his football career and related endorsem*nts.
Just like her husband, Kylie Kelce is a talented athlete. She played field hockey in high school and went on to compete at the collegiate level too. In a 2019 Instagram post, she reflected on her time as a player, saying, "One of the best decisions I've ever made was to become a part of the Cabrini Field Hockey family.
Kelce's older brother Jason played center for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 seasons. Kelce attended Cleveland Heights High School in his hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was a three-year letter winner as quarterback for the Tigers.
On March 4, 2021, the Kelces welcomed their second child, daughter Elliotte, into the world. In September 2020, Kylie revealed she was pregnant with her little girl when she shared a photo of Wyatt holding an apple in her hands.
Kelce was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio. His father, Ed Kelce, is a sales representative in the steel industry, and his mother, Donna, is a former bank executive. Kelce's older brother Jason played center for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 seasons.
Donna and Ed Kelce are no longer married. The pair stayed together for nearly 25 years before calling it quits, and they remain on good terms today. “I don't hate him. We're friends to this day.
Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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