Kylie Kelce Overcomes Self-Doubt as Young Athlete in New Dove Super Bowl Ad

The mom of four opens up about "fighting against" her body and how she learned to embrace her physical attributes.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 9:31am

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Kylie Kelce, a longtime partner of Dove, recalls "fighting against" her body as a young field hockey player, initially seeing her tall stature and muscular build as a "detriment" to her athletic career. However, Kelce says she quickly realized her physical attributes were actually an "asset" that helped her excel in the sport. Now, Kelce is sharing her story of overcoming self-doubt in a new Dove commercial that will air during the 2026 Super Bowl, encouraging confidence in young girls.

Why it matters

Kelce's story highlights the challenges many young athletes, especially girls, face in accepting their bodies and building self-confidence. By sharing her personal journey, Kelce aims to inspire others to focus on what their bodies can do rather than how they look, aligning with Dove's long-standing mission to promote positive body image.

The details

Kelce, who stands at 5'11", initially struggled with her height and muscular build when playing field hockey in school. She says she felt like she was "fighting against" her own body, seeing it as a "detriment" rather than an asset. However, Kelce soon realized her reach, strength, and other physical attributes gave her an advantage on the field. This realization helped her drown out negative thoughts about her appearance and focus on what her body could do for her sport.

  • Kelce began playing field hockey in elementary school and continued through high school and college.
  • Kelce's new Dove commercial will air during Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.

The players

Kylie Kelce

A 33-year-old mom of four and host of the "Not Gonna Lie" podcast, who overcame self-doubt as a young athlete and is now partnering with Dove to encourage confidence in girls.

Jason Kelce

Kylie Kelce's husband, a retired NFL player.

Dove

A personal care brand that has long promoted positive body image and self-confidence, especially for women and girls.

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What they’re saying

“I'm 5'11", and my dad tried to get me to play basketball, but it just didn't stick. So I went the opposite direction to play field hockey, which is where you've got to sort of sit in a squat the whole game and play low, and I was fighting against my own body in the sport that I chose.”

— Kylie Kelce (PEOPLE)

“I quickly started to realize that my body was truly an asset, even in a sport where it didn't seem that it would naturally be one.”

— Kylie Kelce (PEOPLE)

“Early on, I was able to drown out these ideas of, 'I'm too tall,' or, 'My legs are too thick,' because, in my head, I was like, 'I'm tall and I have reach,' and, 'My legs are thick because they're strong.'”

— Kylie Kelce (PEOPLE)

What’s next

Kelce's Dove commercial will air during Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, which will be played between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The takeaway

Kylie Kelce's journey of overcoming self-doubt as a young athlete and learning to embrace her physical attributes serves as an inspiring example for girls and women to focus on what their bodies can do rather than how they look. Her partnership with Dove aims to empower the next generation to build confidence in themselves.