Travis Kelce is the NFL’s all-time leader in playoff receptions, but his biggest impact on the AFC Championship Game didn’t show up in the box score.
Down 22-21 early in the fourth quarter, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes snapped the ball from the Buffalo Bills’ 10-yard line, faked a handoff and rolled to his right.
As the defense reacted, Mahomes got behind Kelce and followed the big tight end toward the goal line. Kelce exploded forward, laying a massive lead block on Buffalo safety Cole Bishop that pushed the latter into the end zone.
That gave Mahomes enough room to score what proved to be the Chiefs’ final touchdown in their 32-29 victory.
Kelce finished with two receptions for 19 yards, but once again, the future Hall of Famer did exactly what was needed to get Kansas City back to the Super Bowl.
“Early on in my career, I really wanted to be known as the greatest to ever do it,” Kelce said Monday at the Super Bowl LIX kickoff in New Orleans. “I think that motivation has changed to just create memories, create a lasting impression on the communities that I’m in, and change the game from where it was when I got in.”
He’s certainly achieved all of the above.
Kelce, Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid seek their fourth championship in six years. Those three remain the core of a Chiefs machine that, with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, would become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
So often throughout that dynasty, Kelce and his historic production — from the tight end position, no less — have been a separator for the Chiefs.
Kelce’s 174 playoff receptions are nearly two dozen more than Jerry Rice’s 151, which rank second in NFL history. His nine playoff games with at least 100 receiving yards are also the most ever. Kelce’s 2,039 receiving yards in the postseason rank second only to Rice’s 2,245.
“I think it’s just the greats, man, they step up in the playoffs,” Mahomes said last month of Kelce. “It’s just higher intensity. The best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays, and he’s done that.”
At age 35, Kelce no longer delivers gaudy statistics on a weekly basis like he did for so much of his career. After seven consecutive years with at least 1,000 receiving yards from 2016-22, Kelce dipped to 984 in 2023 and to 823 this season. His three touchdowns in 2024 marked a career low.
But Kelce continues to prove he has plenty left come January and February.
During last year’s championship run, Kelce had at least five catches and at least 71 receiving yards in each of the Chiefs’ four playoff wins. That included a nine-reception, 93-yard performance in Kansas City’s Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
This year, Kelce opened the playoffs with seven catches, 117 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs’ 23-14 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round.
“Where will I be in three years? Hopefully still playing football,” Kelce said Monday. “I love doing this. I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me.”
Those comments came amid the now-annual speculation about when Kelce will retire. It’s a natural question, considering Kelce’s age, high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift and the seemingly endless media opportunities awaiting him.
But Kelce has excelled in balancing his on-field expectations with his off-field interests, making him the preeminent example of a modern athlete.
His weekly “New Heights” show with brother Jason Kelce is among the most-streamed podcasts in the U.S. In August, it netted a contract worth more than $100 million with Amazon.
Kelce has hosted “Saturday Night Live” and the game show “Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?” He’s confirmed for a cameo in Netflix’s upcoming “Happy Gilmore 2” starring Adam Sandler.
And he still found time to attend plenty of Swift’s Eras Tour concerts, including stops in Sydney, Singapore, London and Paris. Swift, similarly, is a staple at Chiefs games.
“I better hold up my end of the bargain,” Kelce said. “If she’s out here being the superstar she is, and never taking no for an answer, and always working her tail off, I better match that energy.”
Energy shouldn’t be a problem for Kelce with another championship on the line – or for however much longer he decides to play.
“I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life,” Kelce said. “That’s always been the goal, knowing that football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseasons, but for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”