{
  "id": 5060133,
  "title": "Why Travis Kelce did not attend Chiefs’ annual preseason ‘Kickoff Luncheon’ tradition",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/why-travis-kelce-did-not-attend-chiefs-annual-preseason-kickoff",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T09:47:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-travis-kelce-did-not-094754080.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Kansas City Chiefs' annual preseason 'Kickoff Luncheon' took place on September 1, marking the start of the 2026 NFL season. Star tight end Travis Kelce was notably absent from the event, which typically sees all core players and coaches in attendance. Announcer Mitch Holthus confirmed Kelce's absence due to an undisclosed illness, albeit not the first time he has missed the luncheon in his career. This decision appears to be an attempt to reassure fans that Kelce is not ill enough to miss the season's first game, scheduled for September 14 against the Denver Broncos. The 'Kickoff Luncheon' is a long-standing Chiefs tradition, dating back to 1962, hosted annually by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce for the team before the NFL season. This event serves as a way for local businesses to express their support for the Chiefs, with members of the team and ownership delivering speeches and expressing gratitude towards the community that supports them.",
  "summary": "The Kansas City Chiefs held their annual preseason ‘Kickoff Luncheon’ but Travis Kelce was noticeably absent from the event. The Chiefs held their traditional ‘Kickoff Luncheon’ on September 1 to mark the start of the 2026 NFL season, with the franchise’s first regular-season game on September 14 against the Denver Broncos.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}