Travis Kelce’s slow start? Not a concern for the Chiefs… And forget KC, Trav doesn’t care about it himself. When asked about his 2024 early season struggles, he laid it out bluntly: “Struggling in terms of stats. I was still playing winning football. That’s all that f—–g matters.” SHEESH! No fluff, no excuses—just the reality of being a marked man in the Chiefs O.

But let’s be real, when a future Hall of Famer opens the season with just 8 catches for 69 yards and zero touchdowns through three weeks, eyebrows are going to be raised.

The numbers weren’t lying. Through the first six weeks, Kelce’s 8.6 yards per catch was well below his career average of 12.5. Defenses weren’t just keying in on him; they were throwing the entire playbook at stopping him. Double teams, bracket coverage, press at the line—you name it.

Even Patrick Mahomes admitted, “We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis, and it’s like two or three people are going to him.” That respect is earned, but it’s also a headache when you’re trying to get your All-Pro tight end going.

Of course, Kelce wasn’t the only one adjusting. The Chiefs had new weapons stepping up. Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy and second-year breakout Rashee Rice combined for 30 catches, 369 yards, and three touchdowns in that span. Mahomes didn’t mind spreading the wealth. “The more Rashee makes plays, the more we can get Worthy involved, that’s going to open Travis up more.” And that’s exactly what happened, if we look at his receptions as the season progressed.

But if you ask those who’ve known Kelce the longest, they’ll tell you this is who he’s always been—a team-first guy. His high school offensive coordinator, Kahari Hicks, recalled, “Travis was always charismatic, always a leader. Everything you’re seeing right now, none of it really surprises me.” Kelce was a high school quarterback, a three-sport athlete, and the heartbeat of every locker room he stepped into. So, struggling or not, there was never a doubt about his impact.

Hicks, though, does have one regret. He wishes he had done more to unleash Kelce’s full potential back in high school. “If you put anything in there, you can put in there: ‘Travis, I wish I could have [given] you more.’ I hope you accept my apology.” Even nearly 20 years later, his former coach feels he could have done better. That says a lot about Kelce’s talent—and about how much respect he’s earned along the way.

Still, the Chiefs’ offense goes as Kelce goes, and when he wasn’t putting up his usual gaudy numbers, people took notice. His best early-season performance? 10 catches for 90 yards against the Raiders in Week 8—good, but not Kelce-level dominance. But you know what? The Chiefs were 7-0. That’s what mattered. Mahomes put it simply: “I think the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game. But he wants to win at the end of the day.”

And as the playoffs rolled in, that trust in Kelce showed up once again. Well #87 repaid that trust in high! No. 1 seed? Locked. AFC Title? Clinched (oh, the Bills). Now, that the Chiefs are eyeing the unprecedented 3-peat…. Does anyone really doubt Trav will show up when it matters most? Didn’t think so.

Travis Kelce is the ‘go-to’ man in the postseason… Yes, even now!

So, you’re thinking 35-year-old Travis Kelce? We’re thinking YES! (after all the man’s not slowing down for now). This man isn’t just playing playoff football; he’s rewriting postseason history. Kelce has 174 catches, 2,039 yards, and 20 touchdowns across 24 playoff games. That’s not just longevity—that’s domination. When January hits, the guy levels up. You could say he’s got ice in his veins, but really, he’s just built diff.

Let’s take the divisional round, for example. The Chiefs needed a spark. Mahomes dialed up a deep shot to Marquise Brown—almost perfect, but broken up. No panic. No frustration. Just a quick shift to what’s worked every single time in the playoffs. Enter Kelce. The Texans sent an extra blitzer. But Mahomes and Kelce saw it coming. One quick read, one intermediate route, and boom—Kelce shakes off two defenders (something he hadn’t done all season, by the way) and rumbles for 49 yards.

That’s the longest reception of his season, and it set up a Kareem Hunt touchdown. When the stakes rise, so does he. “Sometimes in the playoffs, you play with a little bit more emotion, aggression, and swagger,” Kelce said on New Heights. “They left me butt-naked open.”

And the Texans? They knew it was coming. Houston, we have a problem! They knew Kelce was the first read and still couldn’t stop him. Mahomes’ other weapons managed just nine catches for 60 yards combined. Kelce? Seven grabs, 117 yards, and a touchdown. That’s how you become the guy in the postseason. That’s how you break Jerry Rice’s record for the most 100-yard playoff games in NFL history. “Every time the moment gets bigger, he plays better,” Mahomes said. “He has the heart of a champion.”

Here’s the thing: Kelce’s greatness isn’t just about the highlight plays. The man grinds. Since training camp, he’s been putting in work—fine-tuning his blocking, mentoring younger guys, making the dirty plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet. The Chiefs dialed his role back early in the season, letting Rashee Rice take on a bigger workload.

But when Rice went down, who stepped up? You already know. Kelce finished with a season-low 823 receiving yards, but guess what? That was all by design. He was saving the best for now. “The beautiful part about Travis is he does not care (about statistics),” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “He wants to continue to just keep winning.”

Is it a running theme? Oh, yes, it is! But there’s a reason why everyone echoes the same. The reason is simple: Travis Kelce is a winner. Period. So, the Eagles? Well, you know what to do… Pray! Especially when this guy might be in the SB LIX with the thought of a last dance.