Travis Kelce’s 2024 season wasn’t his usual self. The Chiefs’ star TE, famous for his electric connection with Patrick Mahomes, just didn’t look the same. For the first time in nine years, he fell short of 900 yards. Those jaw-dropping plays he’s known for? They were rare. Only one 100-yard game all season – far from the Kelce we expect. He still came through in big moments, but something was missing. Maybe it was age. Maybe it was the grind. Either way, the magic seemed to fade a little.

Now, heading into 2025, things aren’t getting easier. Even after dropping 25 pounds this offseason – supposedly to get faster – the league isn’t cutting him any slack. The TE pecking order is changing, and the latest rankings might sting for Chiefs fans. Is this really the end of Kelce’s reign, or does the future Hall of Famer have one last act left? The numbers don’t lie. Kelce’s 2024 season was his worst in years. According to PFF, his 71.7 grade marked the lowest of his entire career, a steep drop from his dominant 91.4 rating just two seasons earlier.

PFF’s assessment hit hard: “While Kelce’s still been a top-two tight end in value lately, 2024 was his worst-graded season ever.” The unspoken message? The 35-year-old future Hall of Famer might finally be losing ground to Father Time. So Kelce took action. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spotted the difference immediately at minicamp – the Chiefs star looked leaner, quicker. “He’s dropped about 25 pounds this offseason,” Fowler revealed. People close to him say he knew last year’s heavier playing weight wasn’t working, so he made the change.

The slim-down was supposed to signal a resurgence. Instead, PFF’s rankings just poured cold water on that hope. Six TEs now sit above him – proof that even after reshaping his body, Father Time remains undefeated. Fowler put it bluntly: “This could be the last dance here for him.”

Six TEs who just jumped ahead of Travis Kelce

1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Honestly, Kittle’s the total package at TE. When the 49ers opened their checkbook this offseason, they knew exactly what they were paying for. Two straight years leading all TEs with a 92.0 grade? That’s no accident. Watch him on Sundays and you’ll see why – one snap he’s burying linebackers in the run game, the next he’s burning safeties down the seam. Seven seasons in, and he’s still putting up grades north of 84.7 like clockwork.

2. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Remember when people wondered if Bowers could translate his college dominance to the pros? Yeah, about that. The Raiders‘ rookie put those questions to bed immediately, putting up elite numbers despite working with what might be the league’s worst quarterback room. Second among all tight ends in PFF’s WAR metric? For a first-year player? That’s legit.

What makes him special? Watch any game and you’ll see it – routes so crisp they belong in a textbook, followed by the kind of punishing runs after catch that make defenders think twice. Brock didn’t just arrive in the NFL – he announced the next era of TE play.

3. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Nobody was talking about McBride early in his career – that all changed when he torched Baltimore for 10 catches and 95 yards in Week 8 of 2023. Turns out that breakout game was just the beginning. Over the past season and a half, only George Kittle has earned a better grade at the position (87.5). Now with Kyler Murray slinging him the ball again, McBride’s become Arizona’s go-to guy – he’s literally been a top-3 TE by PFF’s WAR metric since that Ravens game.

4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Andrews vanished when it mattered most last postseason – that still stings for Ravens fans. But let’s not get it twisted: when no. 89 is on the field during the regular season. He’s still one of the best in the business. The numbers don’t lie – he’s posted at least an 80.0 PFF grade every single year of his career. He might not make SportsCenter top-10 plays every week, but ask Lamar Jackson – there’s no more reliable security blanket in Baltimore.

5. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Don’t let the dip in numbers fool you – LaPorta’s sophomore season was sneaky good. After lighting up the league as a rookie (10 TDs, nearly 900 yards), the Lions started sharing the wealth more in 2024. But watch the tape: that 79.1 receiving grade proves he was just as dangerous, just less targeted.

6. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

That gruesome 2023 ACL tear should’ve derailed Hockenson’s career. But here’s the thing about the Vikings TE – he’s never played by the normal rules. By mid-2024, he wasn’t just back on the field; he was putting up the second-best receiving numbers of his career (78.9 grade). Let that sink in: dude missed eight games and still finished as a top-10 TE by PFF’s WAR metric.