Travis Kelce was already a three-time Pro Bowler when Patrick Mahomes joined him in the Chiefs lineup in 2018. With Kelce by his side, Mahomes has grown into one of the dominant QBs in the NFL. Mahomes has 214 touchdowns and 61 interceptions in 93 games with Travis Kelce in his career, highlighting the impact of the 34-year-old tight end. Kelce’s influence on Mahomes was also recognized by Tyreek Hill.

Hill has played alongside Kelce and as such has seen firsthand what the Chiefs tight end is capable of. During an appearance on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, he hailed Kelce as one of the best tight ends in the NFL and also praised the camaraderie between him and Mahomes.

During the conversation, the host asked Hill if Kelce was the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. Hill replied that he thinks it is Darren Waller of the NY Giants, prompting the host to say “he’s good, but he is not Travis Kelce.” 

Hill then chimed in and said, “Nobody is Travis Kelce, nobody is Patrick Mahomes either, those two are just different, they deserve to be the highest paid, but they gonna take friendly deals to keep the team together.” Mahomes’ willingness to reset the market while still leaving wiggle room for retaining stars like Kelce is a masterstroke in team-building.

To put this into perspective, under his current contract, Kelce has an average annual salary of roughly $14.3 million. His base salary of $11.25 million was ranked 54th last season. In contrast, Darren Waller of the Giants earns $17 million and T. J Hockenson of the Vikings makes $16.5 million annually.

The host then asked Hill if Kelce was the best tight end of all time. Without hesitation, Kelce’s former teammate said, “Oh for sure, well the greatest tight end that I played with I will say that. They all wanna say that there is somebody. What I’ve seen and how hard he works in practice he’s definitely like the greatest man he done won two Super Bowls he done put up the yards back to back touchdowns and stuff like this.”

Further highlighting the partnership between Chiefs’ iconic duo and how Kelce has been a big part of their success, Hill pointed out, “Those guys just got that relationship where like if ain’t nothing there just throw it to Kelsey there on third down first down all day. He’s definitely a smart guy man.”

Incidentally, Kelce had even told his high school quarterback coach Damion Creel to “watch out” for Mahomes in the summer of 2018. Once Mahomes made it up to the Chiefs’ team, him and Kelce took the NFL by storm.

Mahomes and Kelce have registered the most postseason touchdowns by QB-receiver duo in NFL history, with 16. They have also shared three Super Bowl championships during their time at the Chiefs. Whether it’s Kelce freestyling his routes to spring open or Mahomes gunning frozen ropes into impossibly tight windows, their magical bond has cemented the Chiefs as a dynastic force.

But amidst all the positives, eyes soon shift to how despite being at the top of his game, Travis Kelce is hardly as highly paid as others in his position and experience. This is something he even addressed last year.

Travis Kelce puts team success above personal gain

Last year in an interview with Vanity Fair, Kelce revealed, “My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am. Any time I talk about wanting more money, they’re just like, ‘Why don’t you go to the Chiefs and ask them?’”

For the Chiefs’ All-Pro tight end, the thrill of winning trumps any perceived monetary slight. Kelce stated a mindset that’s kept Kansas City’s championship window wide open even as cap constraints intensify.

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But when Tyreek Hill left for a $120 million Miami jackpot, Kelce had doubts. “I’m like, the free market looks like fun until you go somewhere and you don’t win. I love winning. I love the situation I’m in.” His sacrifice, coupled with Patrick Mahomes taking a relatively team-friendly deal, has allowed KC to retain a supporting cast capable of making serious postseason runs.

Don’t get it twisted though – Kelce knows his immense value, comparing his paltry $14 million annual paycheck to Darren Waller’s approximately $17 million per year. But he’s wisely recognized that financial windfalls are fleeting, while legacies are etched in Lombardi Trophies. As Bill Belichick’s old mantra goes, “No rings, no king!”

With three Super Bowl rings already secured, the savvy pass-catcher seems content banking on himself to cash in bigger through future deals and off-field business ventures. Because when you’re operating on that psychic Mahomes-Kelce brainwave, turning down top dollar is a gamble that tends to pay out.