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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Travis Kelce likes to call training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs his "sanctuary," whether that be the quiet, hourlong drive north to Missouri Western State University or the solitude that he finds while living in college dorms for a month.
Such refuge was probably never more welcome than on the heels of this past summer.
It was just over a month ago that Kelce exchanged vows with Taylor Swift in a star-studded wedding that tied together one of the best tight ends in NFL history with the biggest pop star on the planet. At the intimate gathering in cavernous Madison Square Garden, Adam Sandler served as the surprise officiant, Stevie Nicks performed to a crowd of sports and entertainment icons, and fans lined the New York City sidewalks outside the historic venue hoping to catch a glimpse of it all.
"The wedding was the best night of my life," Kelce said Wednesday, speaking for the first time at camp. "I appreciate everybody who came out and celebrated and had fun with us. That's about all I got for that night. It was a crazy night."
The guest list included actors Bradley Cooper, Zoe Kravitz, Hugh Grant and Ethan Hawke; models Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss; comic Chris Rock; film director Steven Spielberg; and plenty of NFL players, including retired quarterback Tom Brady and several of Kelce's teammates with the Chiefs, like his best friend and quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
"This is always going to be my sanctuary. I think St. Joe has a special place in my heart," Kelce said. "You need to have these days. You need to have this time of grinding with the guys, being around them all day, starting to create that chemistry and standard for how we are going to do things. This year it's ramped up even more. I think that's a big thing, just enjoy these moments with these guys I've built this culture with."
Tua will play
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski says starters, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, will play at least the first series in Friday night's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos.
With Michael Penix Jr. still not cleared for team drills as he continues his recovery from surgery on his left knee, the Falcons' expected quarterback competition has been put on hold.
Cooper Rush, who was signed at the start of training camp to give the team another veteran at quarterback, will play behind Tagovailoa. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand will complete the game.
Not a good sign
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka limped off the field during a joint practice with the New York Jets.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles had no immediate information Wednesday on the apparent injury's nature or severity. Egbuka appeared to have been rolled up on after making a catch. He limped off the field under his own power and was examined by trainers.
Egbuka later returned to the sideline but didn't practice again. With Mike Evans now in San Francisco, Egbuka is expected to see an increased role in the offense this season.
Elsewhere:
n Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck participated in a study at Boston University to find ways to diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living individuals. The degenerative brain disease linked to head trauma currently can only be diagnosed after death. Hasselbeck, who played in the NFL for 17 years, hopes his involvement will aid researchers in finding ways to diagnose CTE accurately. Michael Alosco, a professor of neurology, leads the study.