The Kansas City Chiefs have been the epitome of success in the NFL for a good portion of the last decade. They have Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes to thank for being a massive part of that, as the dynamic duo have hit the ground running since they united.
Kelce, the Chiefs' third-round pick in 2013, is clearly nearing the end of his career. Despite missing the majority of his rookie year, Kelce has done nothing but produce from 2014 to the present day. Following two 800+ receiving seasons in 2014 and 2015, he'd rattle off eight consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns from 2016-2022. In that span, Kelce cemented himself as the best tight end in football.
Once Mahomes arrived as the full-time starter in 2018, he and Kelce wasted no time getting acclimated with each other. The two connected 103 times for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns that season, marking the most dynamic quarterback-tight end relationship the league has seen since the days of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
Last season, Kelce had just 823 yards and three touchdowns on 97 catches, which is still a solid season. However, the 8.5 yards per reception were the lowest of his career, leading many to believe that Kelce's days of being an elite tight end are coming to a close soon.
That may not be the case, as Jeff Kerr believes Kelce has another 1,000-yard season in store for 2025.
"With back-to-back seasons not having 1,000 yards and in his mid-30s, it's easy to say Kelce's best days are behind him. Kelce has felt good this camp and he has been in sync with Patrick Mahomes (no surprise). The Chiefs are still going to heavily rely on Kelce in this offense, as he's had 100+ targets for 10 consecutive seasons."
"With Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown stretching the field, there will be plenty of underneath routes for Kelce and the opportunity to create yards after the catch. Whether this is Kelce's last season or not, another 1,000-yard season is very realistic."
In a season where the entire team is looking for revenge following an embarrassing Super Bowl loss, Kelce will want to dominate anyone in his way. It'll be interesting to see if the veteran tight end has another stellar season left in the tank.
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