The National Football League's approach to marijuana has shifted alongside evolving societal views and regulations. In 2021, the NFL revised its marijuana policy, eliminating suspensions for positive tests and limiting testing to a two-week period at the start of training camp.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce recently shed light on the impact of this change, suggesting that players can easily avoid repercussions by abstaining from marijuana use shortly before testing. He told Vanity Fair, "If you just stop in the middle of July, you’re fine. A lot of guys stop a week before, and they still pass because everybody’s working out in the heat and sweating their tail off. Nobody’s really getting hit for it anymore."

Given the policy adjustment and increased legal access to marijuana across the country, Kelce estimates that between 50% and 80% of NFL players use cannabis. This stands in stark contrast to his own experience in college, where he faced a one-year suspension from the University of Cincinnati after a positive test before the 2010 Sugar Bowl. He recounted the experience to Vanity Fair, saying, "I was down in New Orleans, listening to Lil Wayne, and I wanted to smoke what he was smoking. I’m just sitting there, dead in the water. I was so embarrassed, I didn’t want to look at anybody."

Kelce, now a two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the league's top tight ends, has reflected on the incident humorously, even joking about it during his appearance hosting "Saturday Night Live." He quipped, "Just goes to show you if you’re bad at school and smoke weed, you can win the Super Bowl twice."

Kelce recently concluded another impressive season, marking his seventh consecutive year with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He achieved career highs in both receptions (110) and touchdowns (12), with his 1,338 receiving yards being the second-highest total of his career. He has also been named an All-Pro for seven consecutive seasons.