'He's got to pay': Marlon Humphrey takes aim at Travis Kelce over $100M podcast deal
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Baltimore Ravens' Marlon Humphrey is making waves as the 2024 NFL season gets underway.
Ahead of their season opener on Thursday, September 5, the 28-year-old cornerback took a playful jab at Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, 34, targeting the tight end’s soaring fame from a lucrative $100 million deal with Wondery for his 'New Heights' podcast, co-hosted with brother, Jason Kelce.
“I pray for this, to go against him, because he’s tried to take everything from me. He’s tried to take it all from me,” Humphrey jokingly said during a recent episode of his 'Punch Line' podcast. “He’s got to pay. He’s got to pay for what he’s done to the podcast space. He’s tried to eliminate us, and honestly, it’s not right."
Marlon Humphrey jokes about inviting Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift on his podcast
Marlon Humphrey made a cheeky reference to Travis Kelce’s high-profile relationship with pop star Taylor Swift, saying, “I don’t care who he’s dating. September [5], it will be pod versus pod, and we will see what heights is higher.”
Adding to the banter, Humphrey teased that he might invite Kelce and Swift onto his 'Punch Line' podcast for a major boost in listeners, although he jokingly dismissed the idea unless Swift was genuinely interested.
“That would do us some numbers,” he said, “Screw them — unless [Taylor] wants to come on, for real.”
Moreover, Humphrey went on to acknowledge that Kelce is “actually a cool dude” off the field but playfully joked to his co-host Jack Settleman that the Chiefs tight end is “just football trash.”
'New Heights' ignites Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance amid $100M deal
Recently, it was announced that Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, 36, had signed a $100 million deal with podcast studio Wondery for the rights to 'New Heights.' As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Wondery will obtain global distribution rights to the podcast and its previous episodes, as well as the ability to create international adaptations of the show.
'New Heights' played a role in sparking Kelce and Swift’s romance, with the Chiefs star mentioning his attempt to give the pop star a friendship bracelet with his number during a July 2023 episode from a Kansas City Eras Tour show.
Swift later shared in her December 2023 TIME People of the Year cover story that their connection grew after Kelce's podcast remarks went viral, and they were officially dating by the time she attended her first Chiefs game in September 2023.
“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,’” the brothers gushed in a statement.
“We love this show and the fanbase that has grown with us over the last two seasons. Wondery understands our shared vision and will provide the experience and resources needed to take us to ‘New Heights!’ We are going to create some groundbreaking moments together through this partnership. We are thrilled to start Season 3 – see you soon, 92%ers!”
Swift is expected to attend more Chiefs games this NFL season, given her current two-month break from the Eras Tour. Whether she will be present at the Chiefs and Ravens’ matchup on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium remains to be seen.
