Donna Kelce has opened up about her challenging marriage to ex-husband Ed Kelce, revealing that they stayed together for many years primarily “for the kids.” The parents of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce separated long ago but have maintained a cordial relationship, often attending Kansas City Chiefs games to support their youngest son, Travis.
Reflecting on their relationship, Donna admitted that early signs indicated their marriage was faltering, even when their sons were young. In the 2023 Amazon Prime documentary Kelce, Travis shared his insights into their family dynamics, noting, “I knew my mom and dad’s situation was different than other parents. I would go and have sleepovers at other houses, and the other parents were staying in the same room, but my parents didn’t stay in the same room.” He recalled piecing together the situation in middle school, realizing that a separation was likely. “I realized that they were probably gonna split, but they stayed together for me and Jason’s benefit,” he reflected.
In a candid interview for Glamour’s 2024 Woman of the Year: The Moms issue, Donna elaborated on what went wrong in her marriage to Ed, revealing she felt “stuck” in the relationship. She admitted, “My husband and I knew that our marriage was not working, but we stayed together for the kids.” She described their relationship as “very friendly,” which enabled them to provide stability for their children. “We made sure that their life was as normal as possible. But in that one respect, I did stand still for several years until I could move on my own,” she explained.
Donna also shared the challenges she faced as a working mother, balancing her career and family life. “I was a commercial banker for a bank in several different states. I wanted to get ahead. I worked really, really hard. I was a major breadwinner in the family,” she said, reflecting on her dual role as a professional and a parent. “I think it’s important for kids to see that a woman can do whatever she wants, but I did stand still, too.”
While the exact timing of Donna and Ed’s split remains unclear, their commitment to keeping the family intact allowed Travis and Jason to pursue their football careers with some sense of stability. In the documentary, Ed acknowledged the complexities of their situation, stating, “If we had split as we probably both would have preferred, that would have been a nightmare with the logistics—getting kids where they had to be and providing all the support.”
Donna described the difficulties of maintaining everything during that time, especially as both a mother and a wife. “It was tough,” she admitted, adding, “It’s so much easier to just go to work. But raising children, when they’re totally dependent on you and you’re trying to do the best you can with the limited resources that you have, it’s the most daunting task I’ve ever had to do.”
Despite the challenges of their marriage, Donna and Ed’s decision to remain together during their sons’ formative years provided the stability Travis and Jason needed as they chased their professional football dreams. Today, both sons are among the most successful and well-known athletes in the NFL, and Donna and Ed continue to support their children, showing that even if their marriage didn’t work out as hoped, their commitment to family remains strong.
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