By Jayson Henderson

Travis Kelce won the People’s Choice Award for Athlete of the Year but wasn’t there to accept it. He was nominated with other big names like Coco Gauff, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Sabrina Ionescu, Simone Biles, and Stephen Curry. Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, won four out of five nominations but couldn’t make it because of her tour in Australia. Kelce joked on the New Heights Podcast about his nomination, saying it was “nonsense” and wondering what he did to deserve it. He mentioned his appearance on “Saturday Night Live” as a reason for being on the list. Kelce’s comments show he’s surprised by the recognition, especially since he’s mainly known for football. Even though he wasn’t there, Kelce winning the award shows how he’s becoming more popular beyond just football.