Donna Kelce, the mother of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce, has opened up on her marriage to Ed and the sacrifices she made for her two sons as they grew up

Donna Kelce, the mother of NFL legends Travis and Jason, has shared that she remained with her ex-husband for the benefit of their future football star sons.

The famous sibling duo of the game have always been close-knit, preserving the bond they formed during their childhood in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The brothers went on to play for rival teams in the NFL, even facing each other in the Super Bowl during the 2022 season.

Jason, the older brother, had already tasted victory in the grand event in 2017, but it was Travis who was jubilant when they clashed in the NFL’s most iconic match – with his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, securing a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, their mother has shed light on the measures she took to ensure her sons had a “normal” upbringing.

In her Glamour Women of the Year cover story, the 71-year-old reflected on how she and her former husband Ed Kelce stayed together while their sons were growing up, despite problems in their relationship. She revealed: “My husband and I knew that our marriage was not working, but we stayed together for the kids.

“We had a very amicable relationship. So, we could do that and make sure their life was as normal as possible. But in that one respect, I did stand still for several years until I could move on on my own.”

Before becoming a full-time mum, Donna had a high-flying career as a commercial banker in multiple states, where she was driven to succeed and was the main breadwinner for her family. She reflected: “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. And I think it’s important for kids to see that a woman can do whatever she wants, but I did stand still, too.

Donna Kelce has opened up on her marriage with ex-husband Ed Kelce ( Image: Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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.”

In a previous conversation on The Martha Stewart Podcast in May, Donna discussed co-parenting with her ex-husband Ed, saying: “We worked together as a team and it’s very, very difficult to raise children on your own. We decided that we would be married throughout the entire time that the kids were in the house, and that’s the way it worked out.”

Travis had also shared his perspective on his parents’ marriage on Amazon Prime’s “Kelce”, revealing: “I started making those connections when I was in middle school and realized they were probably gonna split. But they stayed together for me and Jason’s benefit, I believe.”