New head coach Andy Reid was optimistic when the Kansas City Chiefs selected tight end Travis Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He had worked with Travis’ brother, Jason, when they were both with the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid believed the younger Kelce was a legitimate first-round talent who slid due to a college suspension. But even he couldn’t have known just how special Kelce would become.
Kelce showed steady improvement during his first few years in the league and was really starting to hit his stride when the team drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2017.
Over the past eight seasons, Mahomes and Kelce have built a rare bond, especially in the NFL. They spend a lot of time practicing and have developed an almost telepathic connection that allows Mahomes to anticipate where Kelce is going to be on the field.
Travis Kelce Shared What It’s Like To Be Dialed In With Patrick Mahomes
On a recent episode of the Kelce brothers’ popular podcast, “New Heights,” guest and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick talked about the duo’s chemistry.
Fitzpatrick said Mahomes doesn’t get enough credit for how hard it is to anticipate what your receiver is going to do. People assume it’s just about the defense missing something or the receiver tricking them, but often it comes down to Mahomes trusting Kelce.
Kelce said he’ll try a new route in practice, and if the ball doesn’t come his way, he knows not to use it again.
“Pat will let me know, or he’ll let everybody—this isn’t just a me thing anymore. Everyone, if you’re given a specific route versus a certain coverage, you kind of get a little bit of freedom. It’s just evolved over that,” Kelce said of how their chemistry has progressed. “Have you ever just had somebody run the wrong route and you’re like, ‘God d*** it he’s open’ and you just threw it?”
Fitzpatrick said he had that kind of connection with wide receiver Stevie Johnson during his time in the league. He’d give Johnson the “Y signal,” which stood for “you do you.” Johnson would just get open, and Fitzpatrick would launch it his way.
Kelce and Mahomes’ talent and instincts have built a mutual trust that’s led to a ton of success. They’ve won three Super Bowls together, and Mahomes was the MVP in all three. Kelce is a 10-time Pro Bowler, and Mahomes has made six trips.
Kelce is the only tight end in NFL history with multiple 100-catch seasons. He also holds the record for career postseason receptions (174), postseason touchdowns by a tight end (20), and postseason receiving yards by a tight end (1,146), among others.