By week 3 of 2024, Travis Kelce had just 69 yards. Not per game—total. The usual mismatch nightmare? Suddenly, averaging just 0.8 yards per route run. Defenders weren’t panicking; they were planting. Heavier than usual and visibly less explosive, Kelce couldn’t shake coverage like before. He lost the separation. The burst? M.I.A. Asked about it, he sidestepped blame: “I think Pat’s doing a great job of finding the open guy.” Translation? I’m not the open guy right now.

Fast forward to January, and the numbers told the same story—just louder. Kelce’s 8.5 yards per catch marked a career low. Only 823 yards and three touchdowns, despite leading the team in targets. It wasn’t just a slum; it was the first real statistical red flag in a decade. Yet, there’s a reason for optimism. His experience, smartness, and a great connection to Patrick Mahomes easily make him one of the top 5 tight ends entering the 2025 season.

An NFL exec recently noted that Kelce showed signs of physical decline; no argument there. Still, he’s a headache for the defenders. “For sure [he showed] signs of physical decline,” a veteran pro personnel evaluator said, “but you still have to worry about him because he’s such a smart player with a great connection with the QB.” But there’s a caveat. As per the NFL exec, “(Kelce) Just doesn’t get open like he used to.” It’s a detail that matters.

Travis Kelce is turning 36 in October, has already played nearly 200 games over 12 seasons, including playoffs, and is approaching the twilight of his career. He was the No. 1 tight end ahead of the 2024 season. And he’s now down to No. 5. So, in one way or another, the fact that the tight end just doesn’t get open anymore both makes sense and poses a real concern for the Chiefs.

Makes sense because when he had a slow start in the 2024 season, Kelce observed that the Chiefs have a new offense, and they’re just finding ways to achieve success throughout the season. Not just relying on Kelce himself. “I’m not getting caught up in getting the targets and all that. I just want to have a successful offense,” he said at that time. “...We just have to keep finding… It’s a new offense, new players, new pieces, and we’re just finding how to have success throughout the season.”

It’s a concern for the Chiefs because Kelce is entering the 2025 season after recording the worst number of his career. And yes, besides Kelce, their tight end core is still young. He is the ultimate target for Mahomes, and now that he doesn’t get open enough, the quarterback will look toward young TEs.

Can young TEs replace Travis Kelce in the future?

Across 12 seasons, Travis Kelce has achieved almost everything in the NFL. Multiple Super Bowl victories, Pro Bowl nods, 4× First-team All-Pro, you name it. But one day, the NFL and the Chiefs will be without Kelce. That said, when the time comes, the Kansas City team and the Chiefs Kingdom will look within the organization to find his replacement. Who’s it going to be? That’s the question.

For starters, Noah Gray is the frontrunner on the list. If the Chiefs lose their veteran tight end next year, or maybe a year after that, the obvious option will be Gray. The fifth-year tight end has been with the Chiefs ever since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft. The guy has piled up 1,077 receiving yards, recording a career-high (437 yards) this past season.

In a hypothetical world, if Noah Gray becomes the Chiefs’ tight end, replacing Kelce, the Chiefs Kingdom won’t be worried. He’s been with the Chiefs long enough to know the offensive rundown. And yes, he has four years of playoff experience. “He (Gray) does everything the right way, and he’s learned a ton from [Travis Kelce], and so he knows how to kind of work within the rules of the offense and get himself open, and he’s just a guy that’s going to be in the right spot,” Mahomes noted. “As a quarterback, if you’re going to give him the football, he’s going to make the play happen.”

That said, Noah Gray doesn’t need to be the next Travis Kelce. He just needs to be good, which he is.