Up To 80% Of NFL Players Smoke Weed, According To Travis Kelce

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Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVII Ring Ceremony - Red Carpet
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 15: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on the red carpet at the Kansas City Chiefs ring ceremony at Union Station on June 15, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)

Lighting up is a league-wide tradition, it seems.

Travis Kelce is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. After playing as a hybrid QB/TE for the University of Cincinnati, he was taken in the third round of the 2013 draft by the Chiefs. From there, he has blossomed into one of the league's greatest-ever tight ends. He became TE1 for the Chiefs in his sophomore year and currently holds a host of records at the position. Furthermore, he sits fourth all-time in receiving yards for a tight end as he enters his tenth NFL season.

But we're not here to talk about Travis Kelce. Instead, we're here to make talk about a bold claim he made in a recent interview. According to Kelce, between 50 and 80 percent of all NFL players smoke weed. Additionally, Kelce revealed just how players get away with such a prevalent practice.

Read More: NCAA committee recommends scrapping drug testing for weed

Kelce Shares NFL Weed Smoking Secrets

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 13: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the press during Chiefs Mini Camp on June 13, 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Kelce revealed how NFL players typically get away with smoking weed. “If you just stop in the middle of July, you’re fine. A lot of guys stop a week before and they still pass because everybody’s working out in the heat and sweating their tail off. Nobody’s really getting hit for it anymore.” In 2021, the NFL relaxed its stance on marijuana. Players were only tested in a two-week window before the season, as opposed to more rigorous testing schedules. Furthermore, the threshold for a positive test was raised from 35ng/ml to 150ng/ml.

While Kelce hasn't been suspended during his time in the NFL for smoking the good kush, he was in college. He missed the entire 2009 season for violating the NCAA's marijuana policy. Meanwhile, Kansas City legalized recreational weed this year. As a result, there are just six teams still located in states where weed is illegal under all circumstances. They are both Texas teams, the Falcons, Panthers, Packers, and Colts. However, if what Kelce says is true, it's like that's not stopping players lighting up.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.