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Travis Kelce Gets Strong Message From His Father Ahead of 13th NFL Season
Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their preseason on Saturday night, and all attention has now shifted to their Week 1 matchup on Sept. 5 in São Paulo, Brazil, against AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers.

Kansas City is looking to rebound from its sluggish performance in Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles back in February, and one player in particular seeking redemption is three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce.

Kelce has already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest tight ends of all time. Even if he never played another snap, his Hall of Fame future would be secure. But at 35, he insists there’s still more left in the tank.

"I feel like these past two years haven’t been to my standard," Kelce said. “I just have such a motivation to show up this year for my guys.”

After a down year statistically, he’s determined to bounce back — and his father, Ed Kelce, made it clear he believes that’s exactly what’s about to happen.

During an appearance at "The Kingdom" premiere event on Sunday evening, Ed said he believes his son is poised to have one of the best seasons of his career.

“I think you’re gonna see Travis have one of the best seasons he’s ever had," Ed said.

Last season — aside from his rookie year when injuries kept him off the stat sheet — Travis Kelce posted career lows in both receiving yards (823) and receiving touchdowns (3).

Still, it wasn’t just Kelce who experienced a dip in production. The Chiefs’ offense as a whole lacked its usual rhythm under quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City found themselves grinding out close wins and leaning heavily on their defense, which was among the most dominant units in the NFL in 2024.

Even so, Kelce’s career resume speaks for itself. From 2016 through 2022, he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in seven straight seasons — an unmatched run for a tight end. Over 175 career regular-season games, he’s compiled 1,004 receptions, 12,151 receiving yards, and 80 touchdowns.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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