Per GoBearcats:
Tight end Travis Kelce and safety Bryan Cook took center stage for the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Caesar’s Superdome at Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday.
The University of Cincinnati alums will look to help the Chiefs become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
Kelce is already arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history with a 3-1 record in Super Bowls. His 1,004 receptions rank 14th in NFL history and is the highest total among active players. The Cleveland Heights native and University of Cincinnati graduate has gone to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls. He had 97 receptions this season.
He and his brother, Jason, host the wildly popular New Heights podcast and had a live show at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena last April.
At the podium for Super Bowl Opening Night, Kelce told the 100-plus media-member scrum he hopes to return to his alma mater to host his show again.
“The Bearcats, baby,” he said. “Man, I would love to have another live show down there. We had too much fun.”
Kelce is also excited for UC to kick off the 2025 season at the Chiefs’ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, Aug. 28.
“It’s been really cool to hear that the Bearcats will be at Arrowhead for opening night against a great program like Nebraska,” he said. “It will definitely get the Bearcats excited. I know I will be in attendance cheering on the ‘Cats for sure.”
Kelce played for the Bearcats from 2008 to 2012. He totaled 45 receptions for 723 yards and eight touchdowns during a breakout redshirt senior season campaign. He has generously given back to his alma mater, establishing the 87 and Running Endowment for Student-Athlete Health and Wellness in 2022. The endowment impacts all 450 UC student-athletes by funding the Cincinnati Athletics Sports Psychology and Counseling Department for all sports, while ensuring all Bearcats have permanent access to the care and services they need to be mentally strong, confident and resilient.
Cook enters his third season with Chiefs and his second as a starting safety. He starred for the Bearcats in 2020 and 2021, redshirting in 2019 after transferring from Howard. A Cincinnati native and UC graduate with a degree in Digital Media Collaborative, he started every game this season and has 55 tackles. Cook helped lead UC to the College Football Playoff in 2021, tallying 93 tackles and collecting Second Team Academic All-America and Third Team Pro Football Focus All-America honors during the historic season.
Noting Bearcats in the Super Bowl
· Super Bowl LIX features two Bearcats, marking the sixth straight Super Bowl with at least one UC alum.
· A Bearcat has played in the Super Bowl in 18 of the last 20 years.
· UC has had 34 participants over 28 different Super Bowls all-time.
· Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has coached a Bearcat every year since 2005, including Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Trent Cole, Brent Celek and Bryan Cook.
More UC Connections
Cincinnati alum and 2024 UC Outstanding Alumni award winner Connor Barwin is the Head of Football Development and Strategy for the Eagles. Barwin played football and two years of basketball at UC from 2005 to 2008. He started his career as a tight end before moving to defensive end as a senior, which propelled him to a 10-year NFL career.
Another Cincinnati alum, Brent Celek, has recently assisted the Eagles by helping the safety unit, including running routes to mimic Kelce. Celek was a tight end for the Bearcats from 2003 to 2006 and played 11 years in the NFL with the Eagles.
Current Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield coached Eagles right guard Mekhi Becton in 2019. He had a standout season and left after his junior year for the NFL Draft where he was selected with the No. 11 overall choice by the New York Jets.
Kelce Chases Rice, Super Bowl Records
Heading into his fifth Super Bowl game, Travis Kelce will most certainly rewrite the history books. His 31 career Super Bowl receptions are second in NFL history behind only 49ers legend Jerry Rice (33). Kelce is also fourth all-time in Super Bowl receiving yards with 350, trailing Rice (589), Rob Gronkowski (364) and Lynn Swann (364).
Cook’s Third Super Bowl in Three Seasons
All Cook knows is playoff success as he has helped the Chiefs to the Super Bowl all three seasons of his career. Cook was a standout reserve in 2022 helping lead the Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. He started the first 12 games of 2023 before he suffered a season-ending injury. Cook has started every game this season and now he will start his first Super Bowl. The former Mount Healthy High School star has played in the Peach Bowl and the College Football Playoff to go along with three Super Bowls over the last five years.
Cook a Transfer Success Story
Cook starred at Mount Healthy High School in Cincinnati, but had only one scholarship offer following his senior season in 2016 – to Howard, an HBCU in Washington D.C. that competed in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). After 93 tackles and 17 passes defended over two years at Howard, Cook transferred home to UC. Prior transfer rules required Cook to sit out the 2019 season, but he was able to play in the Birmingham Bowl. He started two games behind all-conference safeties James Wiggins and Darrick Forrest, but appeared in all 10 in 2020 before a standout 2021 season. Cook finished his senior season with 93 tackles, leading Cincinnati to the Cotton Bowl where he had an interception of Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. Cook was a Third Team All-American by Pro Football Focus and a Second Team Academic All-American. He earned and invite to Senior Bowl and his degree from UC.
