Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Travis Kelce News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Kevin Matthew Borba | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 4:41 PM ET

Patrick Mahomes' ninth season with the Kansas City Chiefs ended prematurely after the three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback suffered a torn ACL, missing the final three games.

The Chiefs ultimately missed the playoffs with a 6-11 record, and Mahomes isn't expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 NFL season. Despite his team's struggles, Mahomes continued to perform like the world-class player he is, tossing for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns, and also rushing for a career-high 422 yards and five scores.

Although there's a reality where he may miss some games in 2026, the Chiefs are still making sure to have a talented roster around him for when he returns. On Monday, they brought back All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce to a three-year contract worth $54.7 million.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks on the field prior to a game against the Dallas Cowboys.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The move likely allows for the 36-year-old tight end to finish his career with Kansas City, while also bringing back Mahomes' favorite target. This past season saw Kelce rack up 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, which was good enough to lead the team or be tied for the lead in all three categories.

Considering Mahomes and Kelce have been one of the most effective combos in the NFL for nearly a decade, it wasn't shocking to see that Mahomes was thrilled when the Chiefs released a video of Kelce officially putting pen to paper.

"Look who it is," Mahomes said via phone call. "Doggone. Congratulations...Home sweet home. Look at the beard too man. That man's ready to go...Alright bro. I just wanted to call and say congrats, I know you got stuff to do."

QB1 got his bestie back @PatrickMahomes x @tkelce pic.twitter.com/pdliiU4tcF
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 23, 2026

Through 2026, Spotrac reported that Kelce has earned over $111 million across his 13 seasons.

Although many view him as being on the wrong side of Father Time at this point in his career, clearly, the Chiefs still view him as a valuable player.

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

More must-reads: