By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer
The Kelce brothers showed up for their own giveaway, cheered on the Cavs and chugged beers.
No, Taylor Swift wasn’t with them.
Cleveland-born Travis and Jason Kelce were both in attendance Tuesday night as the Cavaliers paid tribute to the NFL stars with a souvenir bobblehead depicting them in Cavs jerseys and holding basketballs.
The Kelces were treated to a memorable performance by the Cavs, who rallied from 22 points down in the fourth quarter to stun the Boston Celtics 105-104 and end the NBA’s longest winning streak this season at 11 games.
Travis and Jason Kelce take Cleveland
During Cleveland’s rally, Travis stood in front of his courtside seat and waved his arms, trying to keep the crowd rowdy.
“We had a blast,” Jason said in the hallway outside Cleveland’s locker room.
The brothers arrived at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse shortly after 7 p.m. and were escorted along with a large group of family and friends by a security detail to one of the arena’s luxury suites for some pregaming.
Soon after, they moved downstairs and sat next to the scorer’s table near Cleveland’s bench.
“They were talking to us the entire game,” Cavs guard Darius Garland said. “I saw Travis stand up. He got the crowd going.”
During the first timeout in the opening quarter, the Cavs presented Jason, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday after 13 seasons, with a framed No. 62 jersey.
Following a video tribute showing Jason’s playing days at Cleveland Heights High School and in the NFL, Travis, a star tight end with Kansas City Chiefs and Swift’s boyfriend, proudly held his brother’s jersey above his head as the crowd roared for the Pro Bowl center, who was moved to tears.
In typical Jason Kelce form, he wore a sleeveless T-shirt and was enjoying a beer when play resumed. In the second half, the Kelces chugged beers in unison while they were shown on the arena’s giant video board.
Swift, who began dating Travis during this past season, had a good excuse for not being present. She’s on tour in Singapore. Travis was planning to join her there.
Beyond their football exploits, the Kelces have become well known for a podcast, “New Heights,” the name being a nod to their hometown.
