New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce – Ep. 180: "Kylie's Husband at the Olympics & Chris Stapleton on Anthem Tears, Drinkin' Whiskey, & More"

Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Jason Kelce (Philadelphia Eagles), Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)
Special Guest: Chris Stapleton (Country Music Star)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the brothers’ Olympic adventures, Jason’s brush with bobsled glory, Travis’s tales from Pebble Beach, and most notably, an intimate sit-down with country megastar Chris Stapleton. The show blends the usual high-energy sibling banter, behind-the-scenes NFL insights, and heartfelt moments, culminating in whiskey-fueled stories and candid reflections with Stapleton.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympic Recap: Jason as "Kylie's Husband" at the Winter Games

• Jason & Kylie's European Adventure: Jason joined his wife Kylie at the Olympics in Milan, enjoying games as her “plus one” while she worked with NBC and YouTube (25:36).
• Olympic Spectating Highlights:
  • Saw 4 hockey games (2 women’s, 2 men’s); figure skating and speed skating, particularly raving about speed skating's wild, party-like atmosphere (27:12).
  • Noted that arena experiences differ—missing live announcing for figure skating was a “WrestleMania” moment.
  • Met Apolo Anton Ohno, Layla Edwards (female hockey star from their hometown), and the Kachuk family (32:14).

“CBS Olympics threw out there that Kylie, Kelsey, and her husband are supporting the USA women’s hockey team. That's right. They made sure to call you the plus one. You’re the plus one, Jason.”
— Travis (25:36)

• USA Hockey Dominance: Both men’s and women’s USA teams won gold.
• Cultural Quirks & Food: Loved Milan’s Duomo, praised Italian food but wished for an American cheeseburger upon returning (34:02).
• Travel Observations: Norway’s Winter Olympics prowess, the friendliness of Olympians, and the importance of superstitions (Jason’s outlandish Olympic hats for luck).

2. Jason’s “Olympic” Bobsled Experience (15:36)

• Visited Team USA Bobsled in Park City, Utah, for a YouTube video.
• Athletic testing (sprints, vertical jump) revealed he was “borderline at best.”
• Learned the technical and athletic rigor of the sport; recounted the intensity and physicality (“It was way more intense than I imagined – thought it’d be like a roller coaster!” - 19:49).
• Discussed the teamwork timing required for bobsled, compared NFL players’ possible success as bobsledders, and how he might one day try skeleton.

3. Travis at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am (40:01)

• Relived the magic of Pebble Beach, one of the most scenic courses, interacting with pros like Keith "Cashmere Keith" Mitchell and friend Alex Smith.
• Struggled with putting: “I couldn't fucking putt, man… these three putts are absolutely ruining my day.” (41:36)
• Encountered broadcasting legend Jim Nance (“…one of my favorite play callers of all time.” - 41:59).

4. Football X’s and O’s: New Eagles Offensive Coordinator (9:38)

• Jason broke down Eagles’ offense under Sean Mannion in a new film segment (“All 22 with the 92,” “X’s and Bros,” “Kel-See What I Did There?”).
• Encouraged more deep-dive football content for fans.

Notable Quotes & Banter

• On Heritage:

  • “Got a little slob… It's all like Balkan territory.” — Jason (04:12)
  • “You put a babushka or those fucking furry things on, man, you would fucking fit right in in Russia. You got the eyebrows.”— Travis (04:31)

• On Hockey’s Magic:

  • “There is just something about hockey… when guys are going all out, it’s just the most fun sport to watch on the planet.” — Jason (05:06)

• Olympic Sporting Observations:

  • “At speed skating, it is a goddamn party in that speed skating arena. DJs playing, bells ringing. High stakes action.” — Jason (28:44)
  • On figure skating: “I would have liked to have heard Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir announcing live… when you don’t have that… it’s just not that fun.” (27:41)

• On Cheating in Sports (about Canadian controversy at the Olympics):

  • “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” — Jason (35:03)

Interview with Chris Stapleton (49:04)

Opening & National Anthem Reflections

• Chris, introduced as a “19-time Country Music Award winner, 12-time Grammy winner”, discussed his iconic Super Bowl National Anthem that “brought Jason to tears.”
• On the impact:
  “How many people do you venture you’ve made cry just from singing the national anthem?” — Jason
  “Well, I know two. I haven’t seen much statistics on that beyond that.” — Chris (49:54)

Whiskey, Gifting & Tasting (53:02)

• Chris gifted the brothers personalized bottles of his new 121-proof Traveler whiskey.
• First-ever bottle opening of the 121-proof, shared live on air.
• “What do we call them? The 121 proof?” — Jason
  “It's foolproof...Traveler Foolproof. It'll be out very soon.” — Chris (54:00)
• Whiskey warms up the conversation sparking more candid, relaxed discussion.

Chris's Past, Football, and Home Roots

• Recalls playing linebacker in high school against Tim Couch.
• On childhood sports idols: “Joe Montana, Jerry Rice Era. That was kind of...Dan Marino, those guys.” — Chris (51:41)
• Proudly details being from Kentucky and always having Buffalo Trace products in the studio.

Touring and Performing

• On upcoming tour: Nissan Stadium, Fenway Park, LA Forum, Touches on the magic of historic venues and their “ghosts.”
• Favorite venue: "The Forum in Los Angeles...because it really sounds so good. You walk down the hallway, all the people that have played there on the walls. Led Zeppelin, just crazy. It has the sports history, too, but the music history is incredible." (58:28)

Industry Wisdom, Songwriting & Evolution

• “There’s two types of music: good and bad. That’s it.” — Chris (60:00)
• Stresses importance of diverse influences—grew up with 80s rock, old R&B, and outlaw country.
• On being married to fellow musician Morgane Stapleton: “She’s the most honest person...She’ll tell me if something sucks immediately...I don’t need to go anywhere else for honest feedback.” (66:50)

NASCAR, Whiskey, and Passion Projects

• Discusses partnership with Junior Motorsports, running a car in the Daytona 500.
• On NASCAR’s bootlegging origins: “Not just running from the cops. Bootlegging. That’s real history between whiskey and NASCAR.” — Chris (68:58)

Reflections on Making It & Advice

• Early career as a salaried songwriter (“Show up at the crack of noon and…work it like a job” - 64:33).
• “If you are a songwriter, you’re always writing—even if you’re not. Material’s writing around you.” — Chris (65:49)
• Candid about honesty, growth, and being stretched by collaborations with veterans.
• “You must have a pretty big ego… you’re 23, walking in here thinking you can do this…Well, if that’s how you want to look at it, I guess, let’s see what we can do.” — Chris on early career feedback (72:13)

Memorable Moments

• Laughs about the “tiny desk” concert vibes; discusses pressure in intimate performances versus arenas (63:06).
• Recounts his first concert: Bon Jovi with Skid Row as opener at Rupp Arena, age eight (59:08).
• “New baby smell is a great thing…It’s the smell of your own child there in your hands. It’s a great thing.” — Chris (56:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Olympics Recap & Milan Stories: 25:36–38:37
• Jason’s Bobsled Experience: 15:36–22:06
• Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tales: 40:01–46:22
• Chris Stapleton Interview: 49:04–73:03
  • Anthem talk: 49:48–51:20
  • Whiskey gifts/tasting: 53:02–54:35
  • Touring/the magic of venues: 57:03–58:59
  • Songwriting wisdom: 60:06–65:49
  • NASCAR partnership: 68:33–70:01
  • Defining “making it” in music: 71:08–73:00

Memorable Quotes

• “I’m not a loser. I got no interest in lying. I would do skeleton before luge.” — Jason (22:06)
• “This is the first bottle that I will ever have opened of this [whiskey] and had with anybody.” — Chris Stapleton (53:16)
• “There’s two kinds of music. Good and bad. That’s it.” — Chris Stapleton (60:00)
• “You must have a pretty big ego…lets see what we can do.” — Chris Stapleton (72:13)
• “New baby smell is a great thing. I’m gonna sound like a weird, creepy dude talking about it.” — Chris (56:05)

Episode Tone & Style

• Friendly, warm, irreverent: As always, the Kelce brothers’ banter is strong, with plenty of familial teasing (“plus one,” “babushka,” “thick Russian eyebrows”).
• Genuine, in-depth, and sometimes emotional: Especially with Stapleton’s stories and the brothers’ Olympic pride.
• Candid, off-the-cuff: The whiskey tasting amplifies the relaxed, candid feel of the Stapleton segment.

Recommended Listening

• Fans of behind-the-scenes NFL and Olympic tales, sibling banter, and country music will love this episode.
• Essential for listeners who want to feel like they’re hanging out with the Kelce family and their famous friends.

End of Summary