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NFL Icons: Travis Kelce, the gold standard tight end
When Travis Kelce walks on to a football field, he brings more than a Hall of Fame résumé and a Kansas City Chiefs jersey. He brings charisma, confidence and a game-breaking ability that has made him arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history.
A two-time Super Bowl champion, multiple-time All-Pro and the league’s gold standard for his position over the past decade, Kelce has combined elite athleticism with showmanship and savvy to become not only a football icon, but also, more recently, a world-famous celebrity.
And as if being the greatest playoff tight end the NFL has ever seen wasn’t enough, he’s also Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.
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Born in Westlake, Ohio, Kelce played quarterback, line backer and safety in high school before following his brother Jason to the University of Cincinnati. It was there that he began his transition to tight end, a move that would define his future. Despite a brief suspension in 2010 for a failed drug test, Kelce rebounded and posted a breakout senior season, catching 45 passes for 722 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Chiefs took a flier on him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft (63rd overall), pairing him with new head coach Andy Reid. But his rookie season was a wash. He played just one game due to a microfracture in his knee.
That setback only fuelled his determination.
Kelce broke out in 2014 with 67 catches, 862 yards and five touchdowns. Since then, he’s never looked back.
Kelce’s consistency and production are unparalleled among tight ends. He holds the NFL record for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons by a tight end, with seven straight from 2016 to 2022. In the 2024 season, even at age 35, he recorded 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns, ranking 12th in receptions among all players.
His ability to gain yards after the catch (YAC) is particularly noteworthy. With over 5,359 career YAC, Kelce ranks seventh all-time among all positions, highlighting his elusiveness and playmaking ability once the ball is in his hands.
Kelce’s post-season performances are the stuff of legend. He holds the NFL record for most career playoff receptions (178) and receiving touchdowns (20). His synergy with quarterback Patrick Mahomes is telepathic, with the duo setting the record for most postseason touchdown connections between a quarterback and receiver, totalling 16.
From catching 13 passes for 118 yards and two scores in Super Bowl LVII to torching defenses with decisive plays in overtime thrillers, Kelce has been a lifeline for Mahomes when the stakes are highest.
“He means the world to me, man,” Mahomes said of Kelce in 2024. “Without getting, like, emotional, he’s a guy that has really kind of made me who I am in my career. [He’s] a true leader on the football field; everybody says security blanket but [Kelce is] someone that I can just go to at any moment and he’s going to make a big play happen.”
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Kelce’s dominance isn't just statistical; it’s rooted in his mastery of the game’s nuances. His route-running is often likened to that of elite wide receivers, and his ability to find soft spots in coverage makes him a constant threat. His physicality allows him to break tackles and gain crucial yards after the catch.
And while Kelce’s expert execution of routes and ability to bust zone defenses with savvy movement appears an innate skill, Mahomes puts it down to the tight end’s work ethic.
“Seeing him work every day, everybody sees the personality on TV and stuff like that, but you don’t see that everyday work ethic that he has. I mean, he’s the guy that gets mad when they take him out of practice reps,” Mahomes explained.
“That’s just the type of work ethic he has. Even for me, to come into the league and [see] a superstar player work like that, it kind of showed me that I’m going to have to put that work ethic in if I want to get to that level.”
By 2023, Kelce’s fame extended beyond NFL circles. With his brother Jason, he co-hosted the wildly popular New Heights podcast, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at their lives and careers. But it was Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift that pushed him into another stratosphere of stardom.
It started with a friendship bracelet. After attending Swift’s Eras Tour and unsuccessfully trying to give her his number on a bracelet, Kelce caught her attention. And soon, the world’s. When Swift began showing up at Chiefs games, a cultural phenomenon was born. TV ratings spiked. Swifties tuned in. The NFL leaned into the coverage and suddenly, Travis Kelce was on the front pages of tabloids, not just the sports section.
“I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, it’s really inspiring,” Kelce said in a January 2024 interview with WSJ Magazine. “She’s just so talented and driven – being with her makes me want to be better.”
Their relationship hasn’t just captivated fans. It’s also made Kelce arguably the most recognisable football player in the world.
As Kelce enters the twilight of his playing career, the debate is no longer whether he’ll be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; it’s where he ranks among the greatest ever.
Statistically, he’s climbing every major leaderboard. He owns multiple tight end records. He’s delivered in the playoffs like no other at his position. And he’s helped define a Chiefs dynasty alongside Mahomes and Reid.
“The biggest thing is that I f****** love playing the game of football,” Kelce said when asked about retirement rumours in the wake of the Chiefs loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX. “I love playing.”
Here are three classic Travis Kelce performances you can relive now via GamePass on DAZN:
- Vs the San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl LVIII, 20 October 2019 – 93 yards
- @ the Los Angeles Chargers, 16 December 2021 – 191 yards, two touchdowns
- @ the Oakland Raiders, 2 December 2018 – 168 yards, two touchdowns
Get every game of the NFL season, including the playoffs and Super Bowl, with NFL Game Pass on DAZN. More information here
