Chiefs star Mecole Hardman Jr. reveals desire to follow Travis Kelce's footsteps in acting following Hallmark movie debut

Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammate, Mecole Hardman Jr., has decided to follow the tight end’s path in movies. Recently, he opened up about his surging interest in acting and how the wide receiver has looked forward to exploring its dynamics.

Mecole Hardman Jr. made a cameo in “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” a Hallmark movie inspired by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance. Acting in it gave the wide receiver the confidence to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor since he was a “little kid.”

The Chiefs wide receiver sat in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE on Friday, where he shed light on his interest in acting. Talking about the same, he said:

"I definitely want to act," Hardman Jr. said. "I've been talking about this since I was a little kid. Every time I see a movie, I'm like, 'I can really do that. That's something that I can do.' You know what I'm saying? I know I play football, but that's just something that's always in the back of my mind."

"I did a few plays growing up with my mama, actually. I've always been fascinated with actors; Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael B. Jordan. I can keep going. They all kind of inspired me," he added.

Mecole Hardman Jr. explained how Travis Kelce’s NFL career helped him kickstart acting career in Hollywood

Travis Kelce starred in the horror show “Grotesquerie,” which premiered in September. The Chiefs tight end received praise from the fans and NFL critics for his role as Ed Laclan.

According to his teammate Mecole Hardman Jr., playing “in front of thousands of” people at NFL stadiums helped the tight end gain confidence in his acting skills.

Moving forward in the interview, Mecole Hardman Jr. discussed the same:

"It's pressure and confidence." Hardman Jr. said. "Obviously, it's my profession, but performing doesn't really bother you because you play in front of thousands in person and then millions watch you at home."

"So you've always got people critiquing you, anything you do. I think it translates to the movie world because you have critics and everybody has their opinion. So, I think that kind of prepares you for it," he concluded.

Despite his childhood dream of becoming an actor, Mecole Hardman Jr. has multiple years left before he retires and focuses on acting full-time. Until then, the wide receiver will concentrate on improving his performance on the field while pursuing his passion off it.