Heartwarming reason why Travis Kelce wears number 87 on jersey

If you're anything like me, you probably don't pay much attention to which player wears what number in their sport of choice - but it turns out Travis Kelce's 87 on his jersey is worn for a very sweet reason.

So, maybe we should be paying more attention after all.

While we're generally more focused on the football pitch now that the Euros are well and truly underway, when it's 34-year-old Ohio-born Travis related it certainly grabs our attention.

Ever since he embarked on a romance with his beau, the global sensation Taylor Swift, it seems everything Trav does is headline worthy.

Not least of all the recent meeting with Julia Roberts that went viral following fans' accusations that she was 'clawing' at his chest.

It seems Travis caught wind of the controversy as he weighed in on his podcast, New Heights, yesterday (3 July).

He said: "I met Julia Roberts in Ireland, in Dublin. That was pretty cool."

No bad blood there, it seems!

In more positive news, fans are swooning over the reasoning behind the 87 on Travis' jersey.

Travis boasts an impressive career as a tight end for Kansas City Chiefs as part of the NFL.

It turns out that he wears an 87 for his brother, Jason Kelce.

He chose his number to honour his brother who was born in 1987.

Travis sports '87' on his jersey. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

Kelce told NFL Films: “If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987."

It turns out that Jason has had an influence on Travis’ career since the very first days.

After graduating from high school, Travis was recruited to play football by several colleges.

This included Akron, Miami, and Eastern Michigan, but it has been reported that he made the choice to play for the University of Cincinnati in part because Jason had played there, too.

The brothers are both NFL players. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The two have come head to head during huge competitions in the past.

Jason plays as a longtime centre for the Eagles, and had to battle against Travis when Kansas City fought against Philadelphia during the Super Bowl LVII in 2023.

Ultimately, Travis' team, the Chiefs, won.

Jason congratulated his little brother with the tongue in cheek words: "F**k you, congratulations."

It's a bromance for the ages.