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July 13 (UPI) -- Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and former NFL players DeMarco Murray and Brian Urlacher have joined celebrity couple Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez in their bid to purchase the New York Mets. Kelce and Urlacher spoke to ESPN Monday about their addition to the group.
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"I had a chance to meet Alex Rodriguez a couple years ago and just told him how much of a fan I was as a kid of him," Kelce told ESPN. I'm very thankful for the success that I've had in the NFL [and] to have an opportunity like this come across the table.
"I couldn't think of a more unique set of people to be in charge of this."
Former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal and Denver Nuggets center Mason Plumlee also have joined the potential ownership group.
Rodriguez and Lopez in April retained a bank to raise money for a possible bid for a share of the Major League Baseball franchise. The Rodriguez-Lopez group also includes Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola and Vitamin Water co-founder Mike Repole.
"Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are a star-studded couple that have gotten to where they are because they work their tails off and they're good human beings," Kelce said. "I thank them for letting me be a part of this."
The addition of star athletes to the group comes after Rodriguez said in April that he was interested in buying the team.
The Wilpon family, who owns the Mets, said it still plans to sell the team after a deal with billionaire Steve Cohen fell through in February. Cohen is a minority owner of the Mets. The team is valued at about $2.6 billion.
The first round of bids for the team were due Thursday.
