Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce presented the award for “Best Comeback Player” at the 2023 ESPYs on Wednesday night with Saturday Night Live star Heidi Gardner. Donning an all-white suit, Kelce took the stage after a comical introduction by popular podcaster and former NFL punter Pat McAfee.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray won the award, beating out a field of bonafide legends like Jon Jones of the UFC, Alyssa Thomas of the WNBA, and New York Mets pitcher Max Verlander.
Saturday Night Live’s own and Chiefs superfan Heidi and Travis Kelce! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cYPfZtYxqS
— Farzin Vousoughian (@Farzin21) July 13, 2023
Murray’s recent NBA championship win was sure to lift him over the competition in this category. However, all the nominees had exceptional campaigns in their respective sports after returning from injury.
Perhaps the committee that decided Kelce should participate in the ceremony to grant this award chose him specifically because of his bounce-back campaign with the Chiefs in 2014, when he made his first career start in Kansas City after missing his rookie season due to injury.
