NFL's Travis Kelce debuts as host of Saturday Night Live and nails it with a hilarious monologue

Travis Kelce, the standout player of the Kansas City Chiefs, stole the spotlight on Saturday evening, but not in his usual on-field capacity. This time Kelce was unexpectedly selected as the host for Saturday Night Live and diverted his focus towards comedy by delivering a side-splitting five-minute monologue to start the program. Kelce's confidence behind the microphone is no secret and his penchant for witty outbursts has been known to put broadcasters on edge during interviews, per Mirror UK. 

In the presence of his family, which included his brother Jason, Kelce took the opportunity to discuss his recent triumph in the Super Bowl and seized the chance to taunt a Philadelphia Eagles superstar. However, the tight end's portrayal of quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the audience in hysterics and his first foray into comedy was undoubtedly a hit. He said during the performance, "It's great to be here. If you don't know, I just won my second Super Bowl. Which was amazing, but for me, hosting SNL is that much better, baby!"

He added, "I'm lying to you all. I'm lying, I'm kidding. Winning the Super Bowl was way better. But seriously, I'm honored that SNL asked me to host." After flawlessly imitating Mahomes, Kelce proceeded to touch upon his team's Super Bowl victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, which came prior to his comedic act and has since gained widespread attention on the internet. Kelce added, "Probably the coolest thing about this Super Bowl is that my whole family was there. I got to play against my brother Jason, who is an Eagle. And my mom was on TV more than both of us. My mom, dad and brother are all here tonight."

He further continued, "Our mom drove us there in a minivan. Just like the good old days. Even though his team lost after being up 10 points at half, my brother is actually really happy for me." Travis Kelce is not the initial National Football League (NFL) player to assume the role of host, as former player JJ Watt previously did so in February 2020. Fran Tarkenton was the first NFL player to host the show in 1977 and since then, prominent figures like Tom Brady and brothers Peyton and Eli Manning have also been allowed to take on the honor.

Kelce, along with his brother Jason has been effectively running a well-received podcast for some time now, which has undoubtedly served as valuable practice for his recent comedic debut. Given the positive response from fans on various online platforms, it is highly probable that Kelce will grace live television screens again in the future. Kelce's opening speech served to acquaint the uninitiated spectators with his public image as a muscular, vivacious party enthusiast akin to Jason Momoa, per The Vulture. His dominant presence and boundless energy were unmistakable and it was evident that he was thrilled to be given the opportunity to host the show.