Donna Kelce has admitted she and ex-husband Ed only stayed together for so long ‘for the kids’ after revealing their ill-fated marriage.
Donna and Ed, parents of famous NFL brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, split several years ago but remain on good terms today as they continue to attend their youngest son’s games together for the Kansas City Chiefs .
The writing seemed to be on the wall for the couple when their sons were very young, when Travis said in Amazon Prime’s Kelce documentary in 2023, “I knew my mom and dad’s situation was different than others parents. I would have sleepovers at other houses and the other parents would stay in the same room, and my parents wouldn’t stay in the same room.
“I started making those connections when I was in high school and I realized they probably broke up, but they stayed together for me and Jason.”
Donna Kelce has admitted she and ex-husband Ed only stayed together for so long ‘for the kids’
Now Donna has lifted the lid on what went wrong in her marriage to Ed, describing herself as ‘stuck’ in the relationship before they eventually split.
“My husband and I knew our marriage wasn’t working, but we stayed together for the kids,” the 71-year-old said Glamour after gracing the cover of the 2024 Woman of the Year: The Moms issue.
‘Our relationship was very friendly. So we were able to do that and make sure their lives were as normal as possible. But I did stand still in that one area for a number of years until I could continue on my own.’
She added, “I was a commercial banker for a bank in several states. I wanted to get ahead. I worked very, very hard. I was an important breadwinner in the family.
‘And I think it’s important that children see that a woman can do what she wants, but I also stood still.’
It is unclear when exactly Donna and Ed split, but the couple stayed together while their children attempted to pursue professional careers in football.
Donna admits that if it weren’t for sons Jason and Travis, they would have broken up much sooner
Ed, pictured with Travis’ girlfriend Taylor Swift, is still on good terms with his ex-wife
In last year’s ‘Kelce’ documentary, Ed said: ‘If we had split up like we probably both wanted, it would have been a nightmare with logistics, getting kids where they needed to be and providing all the support.’
Donna described the efforts to “keep it all together” while juggling their marriage and parenthood as “tough.”
“It’s so much easier to just go to work,” she continued. “But raising children, when they’re completely dependent on you and you’re trying to do the best with the limited resources you have, it’s the most daunting task I’ve ever had to do.”