Essentials Inside The Story
- Mahomes often trusts Kelce without routes, relying on shared off-field chemistry
- Behind-the-back preseason pass stemmed from miscommunication, not trick-play design
- Over half of Kelce’s career touchdowns came exclusively with Mahomes throwing
The secret to the NFL’s most feared connection isn’t just in the playbook. According to Travis Kelce, his ‘telepathic’ bond with Patrick Mahomes was forged in moments far from the gridiron. On a new episode of the New Heights Podcast, the 36-year-old spilled the beans about their connection on the gridiron.
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“Sometimes he surprises the sh** out of me,” said Travis. “I will turn my head around or maybe even run a completely different route than what was called, and Pat is right on cue. Right in the money. Every single time, he knows. That’s what happens when you golf together and play drinking games together.”
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The TE additionally praised the legendary QB’s throwing accuracy, highlighting his ability to precisely deliver the ball to whichever route he would run. Their chemistry was so strong that Mahomes would simply ask him to get open, fully trusting that the pass would reach him perfectly, a style commonly described as backyard football. The duo had a number of examples of backyard football throughout their careers.
In a 2024 preseason against the Detroit Lions, Travis ran the wrong route, compelling the QB to throw a behind-the-back pass, which the latter jokingly called a spite pass. In a divisional clash with the Buffalo Bills in 2021, the pair linked up for a game-winning overtime touchdown.
A shining example of their chemistry would be the improvised touchdown the tight end scored against the Houston Texans in the 2020 playoff games (one out of his three touchdowns). After noticing a gap, the 36-year-old altered his original route. Noticing his movement, Mahomes improvised and threw the ball for a touchdown.
After the signal-caller was picked by the Chiefs in 2017, the offensive duo spent nine seasons together, with Travis remaining his reliable passing option. Travis has 82 receiving touchdowns in his NFL career, and out of that total, 50 came playing alongside Mahomes, showing the quarterback’s influence on his career.
Watching them share the stage one more time next season would be an absolute delight for the Chiefs fans, but the tight end is pondering his retirement after playing 13 seasons, and the final decision is expected soon.
Travis Kelce reveals what he would miss the most after retirement
Travis Kelce is going to be a free agent this month. Should he commit to playing another season, he might sign a one-year deal with the Chiefs. However, if he retires, his final game would be the Week 18 clash with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025.
In the same episode of the New Heights Podcast, he was asked about his possible football retirement and what he would miss after calling it a day.
“I think it’s just those moments in the big games,” Travis stated. “The feeling of having to rise to the occasion, be there for 70,000 that are counting on you, outside the guys you go to war with. Those moments of rising to the occasion in the heat of the battle in the playoffs and all the big games out there. That’s the feeling I know I’ll never get again.”
He became a starter in 2014, quickly turning into an offensive force. He has started 185 of the 192 games in his career, amassing an impressive 13,002 receiving yards.
As he noted, he would miss crucial games like the playoffs following his retirement. He played a remarkable 10 playoff seasons in his career, securing three Super Bowl honors. It goes without saying that the Chiefs are bound to miss a clutch player of his caliber.
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