Travis Kelce is just a few catches from passing multiple NFL icons

Travis Kelce will go down as one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Sometime, someday, he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But before he calls it quits, Kelce still has a chance to surpass some of the all-time greats in certain categories.

Kelce is close to hitting more career NFL milestones. It is likely that he will not reach these near benchmarks right away. But with it only being Week 2 of the season, Kelce could reach these upcoming marks very quickly.

1. NFL Career Receptions

Let's start with career receptions. Travis Kelce currently sits 14th in all-time receptions in NFL history. It is important to note that this list only counts regular-season action. Kelce is 19 catches shy of passing Isaac Bruce for 13th in career receptions. Meanwhile, he would need 26 more catches to pass the great Steve Smith for 12th place on the all-time career receptions list.

All in all, Travis Kelce has 1,006 career receptions in the regular season. Based on the time he has spent with Patrick Mahomes, Kelce has never had fewer than 92 receptions in a year in which Mahomes was the starter.

Time will tell where he ultimately finishes this season, but as long as Kelce stays healthy and continues to produce at a similar level, he could very well reach the top 10 all-time in career receptions this season. He needs 65 more catches to pass Reggie Wayne and enter the top 10 in that category.

2. NFL Career Receiving TDs

Now we’ll move to career receiving touchdowns. This again only factors in regular season play. Kelce already grabbed a receiving touchdown in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. He now has 78 career receiving touchdowns in the regular season, placing him 37th all-time in NFL history.

One more receiving touchdown would tie him with Harold Carmichael and Charley Taylor for all-time regular season receiving touchdowns. Kelce would also need five more receiving touchdowns to tie with Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Marshall. Reaching that trio would also place Kelce in the top 30 for all-time regular season receiving touchdowns.

One of Travis Kelce's former teammates, Tyreek Hill, also sits just outside the top 30 in this category all-time. Depending on how things shake out this season, both of them could comfortably be inside the top 30 by the end of 2025.

Excluding Hill, there are four other names that sit between Marshall, Carmichael, and Taylor in this category. That includes Anquan Boldin, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith, and Art Powell.