George Clooney and Travis Kelce Chat About Acting Dreams After Retirement

From Left: George Clooney in November 2025; and Travis Kelce in October 2025.
Credit :

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

NEED TO KNOW

• George Clooney was a guest on the New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce podcast
• While discussing future plans, Clooney inquired if Kelce intends to pursue acting post-NFL
• Kelce expressed enthusiasm, saying he’d “be there in a heartbeat” if approached by former costars like Adam Sandler

Travis Kelce may be considering a transition to acting after his NFL career.

On the latest episode of New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce, released Wednesday, Dec. 3, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end shared insights from his experience working with Adam Sandler on the set of Happy Gilmore 2.

“Just the best, man. Adam, such a good dude,” Kelce remarked to Clooney. “I’m forever thankful that he allowed me to be the waiter. But honestly, looking back on it, if he would have asked you [George], I think the movie might have been ten times better, man.”

Clooney, 64, humorously responded, “Dude, I play a great waiter. You have no idea,” revealing he was not a part of the film.

Travis Kelce as Ed Laclan in ‘Grotesquerie’.

Prashant Gupta/FX

Clooney prompted Kelce, “So when you retire, will you consider moving into show business?”

Kelce replied, “As long as I’m being asked by guys like Adam Sandler, my heroes growing up, I’m going to be there in a heartbeat. I don’t know how much skill I have, but I’ll be the best teammate on set and have fun.”

Clooney responded, “That’s exciting, man. That’s gonna be fun.”

George Clooney in London on Nov. 21, 2025.

Joe Maher/Getty

In Happy Gilmore 2, released in July, Kelce took on the role of a hotel waiter, contributing to the comedic storyline of Gilmore’s return to golf to finance his daughter’s ballet lessons.

Discussing Sandler, 59, Clooney remarked, “He’s such a good egg and a fun guy to work with.”

“He and I have been playing basketball together for about thirty years, and having the chance to work with him was a blast,” Clooney recalled.

Meanwhile, Kelce also played Ed Laclan in the FX series Grotesquerie.

Reflecting on acting, Kelce noted how he evaluates his performances critically, similar to his approach in football. “I could have done that better,” he acknowledged about his prior work.

“Even the game show I did on Amazon [Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?], I look at myself and think, ‘Man, I could’ve done that better,’” he added.