Donna Kelce, Mom Of Two Super Bowl Stars, On Raising Successful Kids

We know that moms do it all. They make doctors’ appointments, drive their kids across town multiple times a day, and show up to cheer at every track meet or recital. Donna Kelce, mother of Jason Kelce (center for the Philadelphia Eagles) and Travis Kelce (tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs) supported her sons as they cycled through soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey, and football — all while building her own 40-year career in finance. 

Clearly, her hard work paid off — Jason and Travis have stellar careers with multiple Super Bowl wins, and this past February, Donna made NFL history as the first mom to have two sons compete against each other in the Super Bowl. Her split-colored jersey — red for the Chiefs in the front, green for the Eagles in the back — and the homemade chocolate-chip cookies she delivered to both her sons on Super Bowl LVII Opening Night have earned her the unofficial title of “America’s mom.”

In this special Mother’s Day episode, Donna joins us to talk about her life and career, what it was like to raise two active kids, and her most useful pieces of parenting advice. Listen in to hear her reflect on her own upbringing, the barriers she faced as a young woman interested in sports and higher education, and how her stepmother’s support of her ambitions shaped her success.

We also get the inside scoop on what Jason and Travis were like as boys (no surprise, extremely competitive) and all the parenting tips and tricks she used to raise them into ambitious, determined adults. Her two biggest rules? You can’t quit in the middle of the season, and if you’re getting benched, it’s on you to figure out what the coach needs from you. 

“I tried to instill in my children to find out — not insincerely — but how do you build a network of people that find you valuable? In other words, you need to find out what is important to that coach,” says Donna. “Is it to be on time? Is it to be the first one there? Is it picking up the bats afterwards? Whatever you need to do, give that extra effort that nobody else is giving. That’s what will endear you to them.”

Those lessons propelled Jason and Travis to success in their careers, culminating in the two brothers going toe-to-toe on opposite teams during the 2023 Super Bowl. Donna shares what it was like for the family to be split into two teams, and why she thinks it’s so important that her sons have been able to overcome disappointments and stick together as family.

Wondering where the money is in this HerMoney episode? Donna also talks about her career in banking, the financial lessons she taught her kids, and why she thinks so many professional athletes struggle with budgeting. 

In Mailbag, a new mom wants to know the best ways to save for her child’s future expenses. Another listener asks for strategies for negotiating salary when moving from a contract to a permanent position. In our money tip of the week — how to negotiate everything other than salary, from rent to bills to product discounts. 

For more on Donna and the Kelce brothers, check out her appearance on the New Heights Podcast, hosted by Jason and Travis!