The Chiefs may be struggling right now, but Travis Kelce keeps stacking historic numbers. Last game, he surpassed Chiefs’ legend Priest Holmes for the most touchdowns in franchise history. Now, Kelce sits with 84 total touchdowns, one ahead of Holmes. However, the tight end is not bothered by any stat as he still feels that he’s not up there with the legends yet.

“Obviously, Tony Gonzalez is a guy I still feel like I’m trying to fill his shoes,” Travis admitted to his brother Jason on his podcast. “What he’s been able to do (achieve) in the National Football League and in this Chiefs organization.”

On his New Heights podcast with Jason Kelce, Travis made it clear that even his celebration did not feel complete. In his opinion, breaking Priest Holmes’ record wasn’t enough, given the enduring significance of the Chiefs star’s accomplishment.

He shifted to Tony Gonzalez and talked about how Gonzalez shaped his view of the position. As Kelce expressed his love for the legends who cleared the path, he opened up about the influence Holmes had on him.

Travis gave a shout-out to Holmes and mentioned how much the brothers “[expletive] loved him” when the kids watched Holmes’ games.

This mindset is not new among the game’s greats. Even legends like Tom Brady and Larry Fitzgerald often brushed aside personal milestones after tough losses, reminding the league that real leaders value the team’s response far more than the spotlight.

While Holmes held the record for the most touchdowns in total, Gonzalez himself is widely viewed as the greatest tight end ever. He owns 15,127 receiving yards, the most by any tight end, and he sits at 111 touchdowns, trailing only Antonio Gates’ 116, a record for most receiving touchdowns by a TE. These figures still tower over most players.

Even though Kelce has passed Gonzalez and Holmes in the Chiefs’ record books, his focus remained on being a stabilizing force for the red and gold, not on personal glory. That mindset became even clearer after Week 11, when his historic night collided with a frustrating setback.

Travis Kelce accepts Chiefs feat after initial refusal

The Chiefs walked into Week 11 needing momentum, but the City of Fountains watched a tough 22-19 loss to the Broncos. Even with Travis Kelce making history, the night felt heavy for Chiefdom. The defeat pushed Kansas City to 5-5 and tightened the playoff race. Unsurprisingly, Kelce had no interest in talking about it after the game.

“If you’re going to ask me about the record, I could care less about that right now,” Travis admitted on the podcast.

However, the tone shifted later. After Jason Kelce urged him not to brush aside the moment, the star tight end finally accepted the achievement and said the honor meant something to him.

“Obviously, right now it’s sour because it’s coming off of a [expletive] loss,” Travis said.

He followed that by showing love to the Chiefs legends before him, even joking that not being fired for 13 years helps you rack up some statistics.

“I got so much respect for the organization, so much respect for the guys that have paved the way,” Travis shared. “Not only in the Chiefs organization, but in the National Football League, that have made an opportunity for myself to come in and make a living, live out my childhood dreams, man.”

His reaction also showed how urgently the Chiefs need to shift their season. Kansas City now sits third in the AFC West, a position that would have been unthinkable a year ago. The margin for error is shrinking, and the next test is the Indianapolis Colts, who bring the league’s most points scored and one of the best overall records into Week 12.

For Kelce, the milestone is already in the past. His focus now is on helping the Chiefs survive a brutal stretch and prove they can keep up with a team playing at a Super Bowl level.