DINH DOONG

Travis Kelce is in for double duty this fall, as the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has his schedule full.

On top of his regular NFL duties, Travis, 34, will appear on FX’s Grotesquerie in his acting debut. But thankfully, his mother, Donna Kelce, has been providing emotional support every step of the way.

During the premiere of Grotesquerie on Monday, September 23, Donna, 71, spoke with People, defending Travis from the haters, which his girlfriend, pop artist Taylor Swift, has nicknamed “dads, Brads, and Chads.” Donna noted that it’s been “tough” hearing people make negative comments about Travis and the Chiefs.

Donna Kelce the red carpet at the ‘World’s Largest Tailgate; ahead of the Baltimore Ravens v Kansas City Chiefs game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. 
“You know, I don’t think they realize the pressure that people are under, whether they’re athletes or professionals that are in front of the camera. And it’s just very difficult, there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes,” said Donna. “You don’t realize how many times people are trying to keep you from catching the ball, or trying to trip you up or hit you… so it’s kinda hard when you’ve got people that are in your face 24/7.”

Though Donna says this is disheartening, she understands that this is part of the game. Donna is, however, excited to see her son make his big acting debut — though, having seen Travis, as well as his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, perform as children, this certainly won’t be a debut in her book.

“I’ve been watching these guys for years, ever since they were 3 years old on the field or playing sports or band or whatever at school — in plays,” Donna said. “You know, it’s just a mom watching her kids.”

Grotesquerie premieres with two back-to-back episodes on Wednesday, September 25 on FX at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes air weekly and will be available for streaming on Hulu the day after original broadcast.