Reports of Travis Kelce’s Death Are Vastly Exaggerated

If you’ve been caught up in weeks of breathless chatter about Travis Kelce’s sudden decline due to on- or off-field reasons, I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe “You need to calm down”? “What did you expect?” “Why did you find the stupidest gaming machines in the NFL media and take their words as gospel?”

Look, it’s happening. It’s rare for the 35-year tight end to even see the field, but last year, the 34-year tight end led the Chiefs in receptions and receiving yards, so you can’t be completely He was caught off guard. Here’s how everyone should view Kelce’s slow start to the 2024 season: a result of many obvious factors that have combined to elevate the difficulty for Kelce and the entire Chiefs offense. Of course, he’s not exactly the same player he was five years ago. It doesn’t need to be that way.

A week after his four-catch, 17-yard performance against the San Francisco 49ers, Kelce led the Chiefs with 10 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Chiefs defeat Las Vegas Raiders 27-20. Sometimes, especially during Kelce’s goal, DeAndre Hopkins gives the Raiders defense another established threat to considereven on a limited startup workload. Rookie Xavier Worthy demanded some defensive attention on an imperfect play. Noah Gray and Justin Watson each threw passes for enough yardage to continue to provide Patrick Mahomes with a variety of options. With a few exceptions that are still very common, Mahomes had another more characteristic play as the offense ran more smoothly.

The Chiefs’ offense is not perfect (or healthy or complete). Kelce wasn’t perfect either. But maybe by adding a goal to Kelce’s box score, we can stop getting the idea that he’s no longer a legitimate threat on the field. This was always so ugly.

After all, Kelce’s struggles in the first half of the season were the Chiefs’ struggles. Without their top two wide receivers (in addition to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who is likely out for a shorter period of time.), even Kelce, in his mid-30s, was clearly KC’s biggest playmaking threat. Kelce was placed in a similar spot out of necessity earlier this year after Kelce moved the skill position group in 2023 and Rashee Rice stepped up in his rookie season.

Throughout training camp and the first few weeks of the season, it was clear that Kelce’s role was intended to transition from being the Atlas of the offense to one where he wouldn’t be the sole focus of opposing defenses. As Hopkins settles into the playbook and Worthy continues to get into NFL shape, Kelce can still share the workload with his colleagues come the playoffs. Until then, his production will ebb and flow as the Chiefs and their opponents fluctuate from game to game and matchup to matchup.

While it’s true that Kelce, 35, shouldn’t be asked to carry the team on his shoulders at all times, it’s not because he’s tired, out of shape or unfocused. Because it now looks like something human. Yes, he is old by NFL standards. That fact makes it all the more remarkable that there is no more frightening sight for opposing defenses than the old man who is closer to being inducted into the Hall of Fame on the third pick than he was in his rookie season on the first ballot.

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