NFL matriarch Donna Kelce has offered rare insight into her daily routine at her Florida condo while opening up once again about the viral response to the news that she was renovating the humble abode.
In March, it was revealed that the 73-year-old mother of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce had embarked on a major overhaul of her Orlando abode, hiring a local company to replace multiple windows and doors throughout the two-bedroom property.
The project sparked an over-the-top response from fans of the famous football family, and led to Donna’s sons calling out the reaction in an episode of their podcast, “New Heights,” during which they mocked their mother over the work, joking that she was attempting to turn her condo into a “gilded palace.”
Donna has owned the 1,434-square-foot property since 2019, when she purchased the residence for $355,000. The condo, which was built in 2005, features a wraparound balcony, a den, library, home office, and workout room.
Now, the mother of two has spoken out about the renovation in a candid interview with Architectural Digest, telling the outlet that work has now been completed on her home—while setting the record straight about the changes that were made to the dwelling.
“It’s a lot of windows because I’m on the side of the building. So there’s like 16 windows, and they’re floor-length, and it was quite a project,” she shared, before hitting back at reports that she’d needed to replace six doors during the renovation.
“The windows that are floor-length along the balcony, they call all of them doors, but they weren’t,” she stated. “There were only two doors. But there were six of those [in total], and two of them had handles on them.”
As for the viral response to her renovation news, Donna admitted that it “took [her] by surprise,” adding: “I was kind of taken off guard.”
Now that the project is complete, Donna says she’s looking forward to relaxing inside the updated space, explaining that she’s happily settled into her routine in the property, where she lives alone, having divorced her former spouse, Ed, soon after their sons finished college.
Addressing her daily routine at home, the proud grandma said she begins each day with coffee, before figuring out what’s on her agenda—and confirming whether or not it will require her to go to the airport.
Her children are also a big priority, she said, noting that, while they are both “so busy, it’s almost impossible” to speak to them every day, she does her best to check in as often as she can.
“Especially in the offseason, I have no idea what city they’re in [or] where they’re going. But they’re always on my mind,” she said.
She admitted that much of her relaxation time revolves around her favorite gadget in the house—her television—which she regularly eats her meals in front of, noting that she “doesn’t really care what anybody thinks” about her habits, particularly because she lives alone.
“It connects you to the world. It allows you to relax. Not only that, but it’s important to have to learn about the news and what’s going on in the world,” she added.
Donna said she will occasionally fall asleep with the TV on, but sets a timer to ensure that she isn’t snoozing in front of the screen for longer than 20 minutes.
And while she seems fairly relaxed about her life at home, the mother of two admitted that she does have one very clear rule for guests who visit: No pets allowed on the furniture.
“I don’t have any pets. I think a person’s home is their home, and if that’s where they want their pet, have at it. If it’s in my house, no. But most people that I know of who have animals allow their pets on the furniture,” she explained.
Beyond serving as a safe space for Donna to relax, she said that her condo is also packed with precious reminders of her sons’ success—and the incredible experiences she has enjoyed as a result of their hard work.
“There are so many [photos]. So many pictures of all the amazing people that I’ve been able to meet, all the wonderful places that I’ve been able to go, all the games, all the Super Bowls,” Donna shared.
“It’s more than a mother should ever hope for. I can’t even tell you how full of love and admiration [I am] for my kids to be able to give that to our family.”
Donna’s dwelling first shot into the headlines back in March, when TMZ revealed that she was carrying out construction work at the home. Her sons then added further fuel to the fire when they raised it as a topic of conversation on “New Heights.”
Addressing the furor surrounding the renovations on their podcast that same week, Travis and Jason joked to their listeners: “Let’s talk about the most important news out of the Kelce family this week. We wanted to break this news on the show, but reports have already started to leak out.”
“Donna Kelce is remodeling her modest Florida home! Let’s give it up for Donna!” Jason added.
The siblings then brought Donna in to share her thoughts on the media response to her renovation plans—with the NFL matriarch admitting that she had been stunned by the attention it received.
“Even TMZ sent me a text and said, ‘Can you be honest, it’s really funny!’ I’m like … it’s so stupid!” she said, before attempting to play down the work she’s having done.
“All they’re doing is, people are coming to put in my windows on Monday,” she continued. “You know my whole apartment is all windows. It’s windows all the way around.”
Still, Jason couldn’t help but get in another joke, asking: “Are you going to bulletproof?”
Undeterred, Donna continued by explaining that the unseasonably cold weather in Orlando had motivated her to replace the existing window designs, because they were “cheap” and outdated, providing little protection against the chill.
“This year, it got so cold down here—it was in the 30s—and I literally had sweat coming down the windows and pools of water in my living room because it couldn’t handle it. These are cheap windows that were put in 20 years ago,” she shared.
Jason then called out TMZ’s description of Donna’s property as a “modest home,” joking that she appears to have plans to turn it into a much swankier abode.
“Well, I just wanted to say, ‘Mom, they said “modest home,” and it just feels like you’re turning this place into a bit of a gilded palace,'” he said.
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