“You can judge a person's character pretty early”: How Travis Kelce quietly gifted Chiefs coach Porter Ellett two Nike self-lacing shoes following his heartbreaking childhood accident

Travis Kelce did not make a big announcement when he helped Kansas City Chiefs coach Porter Ellett. He simply remembered a conversation about shoes and turned it into a thoughtful surprise. In 2017, Kelce arranged two pairs of Nike's self-lacing sneakers for Ellett, who had lost the use of his right arm as a child. Years later, the coach still keeps the original gift as a reminder of a gesture he never expected. How Travis Kelce surprised Porter Ellett with Nike's self-lacing shoesThe friendship began in 2017, when Ellett joined Andy Reid's coaching staff as the senior assistant to the head coach. He handled schedules, meetings and other duties while helping during practice. His role also brought him into regular contact with Chiefs players.Kelce and Ellett quickly connected over their shared interest in sneakers. During one conversation, Kelce mentioned buying Nike's limited-edition self-lacing MAG shoes, inspired by the movie Back to the Future. The pair reportedly cost around $15,000.Ellett then asked Kelce about Nike's next self-lacing model, which was expected to cost around $300. He had a personal reason for wanting them. After losing the use of his right arm, tying his shoes had become difficult."Man, those are perfect for me, because with one hand, it's hard to tie my shoe," Ellett joked during that conversation, as he later recalled to The Kansas City Star.A few months later, Nike released the HyperAdapt 1.0, featuring its Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing technology. Ellett tried to order a pair online, but they sold out before he could secure them. He mentioned the failed attempt to Kelce and moved on.Then came the surprise. One morning, Ellett found a Nike box waiting at his locker before practice. Inside were the self-lacing shoes he had wanted.Kelce had quietly contacted the Chiefs' equipment managers to get Ellett's shoe size. He then worked through his personal Nike representative to arrange the delivery."I was just shocked more than anything," Ellett told The Kansas City Star in an interview published on February 8, 2024.The gift did not stop at one pair. Kelce eventually arranged two pairs, with the second intended for Andy Reid's brother, Reggie, who had also lost the use of an arm after a motorcycle accident. However, the shoes turned out to be too small for him.Ellett described the gesture as "one of the top things I've ever gotten." He also explained why it meant so much: "He didn't really want to make it anything (of it). That's who he is."Travis Kelce treated Porter Ellett like any other Chiefs teammateThe shoes were not the only reason Ellett remembered Kelce so fondly. During practice, Ellett sometimes threw passes to the tight ends during drills. Some players carefully tossed the ball back to him, but Kelce did not change his approach.He would fire the ball back as usual and tell his teammates, "He's got it." Ellett appreciated that Kelce treated him like everyone else instead of making his disability the focus.Speaking to The Kansas City Star on February 7, 2024, Ellett recalled telling his wife how well Kelce treated people. "With one arm, you realize you can judge a person's character pretty early by how they treat you," he said.Their friendship continued beyond practice. The two sometimes played P-I-G on the basketball hoop in the Chiefs' locker room. Ellett also revealed that Kelce could get frustrated when he lost because of his competitive nature.The story gained wider attention in February 2024 after Ellett's wife, Carlie, shared the shoe story on TikTok. Her video attracted nearly three million views. She wanted to defend Kelce after criticism over his interaction with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker during the AFC Championship Game.Ellett told the newspaper that his wife wanted people to know how Kelce had treated their family. He also revealed that he had kept the original shoes in his closet as a keepsake for his two sons.He once told Kelce, "I gotta tell them the greatest tight end in NFL history gave me a pair of shoes."In Ellett case, the gift became more than a pair of expensive sneakers. It reminded him of a teammate who noticed his needs but never treated him differently.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.