Travis and Jason Kelce's dad, Ed, has opened up about why he was unable to follow in his family's footsteps due to his health.
Ed Kelce – whose youngest son Travis won the 2023 Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs after claiming victory against Jason and the Philadelphia Eagles – appeared on his son's hit podcast, New Heights, ahead of the history-making game, which was also the same episode that Travis and Jason's sad family history was revealed.
WATCH: Ed Kelce reveals uncomfortable health condition
The proud dad recalled details of his life and revealed that he was turned away from joining the army due to an old high school football injury that resulted in him having the cartilage in his left knee removed.
Ed wanted to be like his family and serve his country, as he told Travis and Jason: "You've got to remember, everybody in my family prior to me was in the service."
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However, when Ed was rejected by the army, he was advised to try the Coast Guard, but sadly, during basic training, he discovered that he has Crohn's disease.
© Photo: InstagramEd Kelce has Crohn's disease
According to the Mayo Clinic, Crohn's disease is a "type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes swelling of the tissues (inflammation) in your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition".
"I enlisted in the Coast Guard and the Chron's reared up," Ed explained. "I'd never had that before, and I was sick. I went through most of the basic training with some severe gastrointestinal issues."
He added: "[The Coast Guard] don't need sick people in the service, they need people who are ready to perform."
© Photo: RexJason congratulated Travis on winning the Super Bowl
Meanwhile, Travis and Jason made history at the Super Bowl after becoming the first pair of brothers in the NFL to compete against each other in the annual sporting event.
Chatting after the game, Travis said: "To see my family be in all its glory, get all the flowers, my mom being the center of attention on the jumbotron before the game on the biggest stage, being able to get closer to my brother throughout the season and then meet him at the mountaintop. It's the best feeling in the world."
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