While the Kansas City Chiefs have a dismal 6-6 current record, Travis Kelce keeps stacking victories off the field. Spotify Wrapped just dropped the list of Top Sports Podcasts of 2025, and the Chiefs’ tight end, who co-hosts the podcast with his brother, Jason Kelce, made the cut.

“‘New Heights’ locked up the top spot in Spotify Wrapped, powered by another breakout year for the Kelce brothers,” announced the caption of a recent Instagram post made by Boardroom.⁠ “The show kept winning in 2025 with chart-topping episodes, award recognition, and a massive cultural moment when Taylor Swift joined the pod and drove record engagement.⁠”

The photo attached to the Instagram post spelled it out further. New Heights sat above heavy hitters like Pardon My Take, The Bill Simmons Podcast, and The Pat McAfee Show. So, despite a stacked lineup, Travis Kelce’s podcast took the crown. How many athletes can say that?

Since launching in September 2022, Travis Kelce’s podcast has turned into a phenomenon. It blends sharp NFL breakdowns with personal stories and big-name interviews. Spotify’s recognition just confirmed how deep that impact runs. Travis and his brother did not just join the sports podcast game – they reshaped it. But how did New Heights climb the global rankings so fast?

While it could be attributed to the rising fame of the Kelces, the guest roster on New Heights has also played a part in the podcast’s popularity. The podcast has already featured star athletes like LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and Caitlin Clark. But this year, Travis Kelce and his brother have also done the podcast with Hollywood stars like Adam Sandler, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney. The latest episode of New Heights with Clooney dropped around the same time the Kelces learned about their latest No. 1 ranking.

But one particular episode in Travis Kelce’s podcast pushed it to the global 50 rankings. On August 13, Travis’ fiancée, Taylor Swift, sat with the Kelces for a two-hour conversation. She even used the episode to announce her 12th album, The Life Of A Showgirl. 

That pop culture moment shattered viewership records for New Heights. And it proved something important – New Heights isn’t just a sports podcast. It’s a cultural force. Even so, Boardroom pointed out through the Instagram post that the core formula of Travis Kelce’s podcast hasn’t changed. 

“At its core, the formula hasn’t changed: real NFL insight, unfiltered brother energy, and pop-culture crossover that pulls in way more than just football fans,” the caption of the Boardroom post concluded.

Ultimately, fans love the banter, chaos, and honesty that the Kelce brothers bring to the podcast. It’s easy to see why Spotify Wrapped crowned them. This latest victory in the media world is so significant that it raises serious questions about Kelce’s future plans beyond the gridiron. 

New Heights appears to be a part of Travis Kelce’s retirement plan

Despite currently playing his 13th season, Travis Kelce has been a major contributor to the Chiefs’ offense. He leads the Chiefs this season with 59 catches for 719 yards and five touchdowns. But the retirement question keeps following him. At 36, how long can he keep taking hits?

On November 21, Travis Kelce finally addressed the retirement speculation. The TE made it clear that he would wait until the season ends before making a definitive career decision. But he also praised how his brother handled his own retirement from the league. And Travis admitted he wants to mirror that kind of thoughtful approach.

“Seeing my brother go through it and seeing – I don’t know, how the league works,” Travis Kelce told reporters. “I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not, and vice versa.”

That’s a mature perspective, but it also sounds like someone preparing for life after football. Jason Kelce retired last year and shifted fully into podcasting. So what happens when Travis eventually hangs up his cleats for good? If this latest podcast ranking on Spotify Wrapped proves anything, Travis Kelce won’t just glide into retirement. He’ll sprint into a second career that might be just as successful as his first. And honestly, it already looks like he has one foot in the next chapter.