There are massive differences after making the step from college football to the NFL scene and Patrick Mahomes said linking up with Travis Kelce was one of them.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have been the crucial foundations for Andy Reid on offense. They are the heartbeat of the franchise and they have helped develop the Chiefs into an iconic brand with their performances. Both can credit one another with their league-leading production and their three Super Bowl wins are just tangible measurements.
Mahomes and Kelce have been the two irreplaceable ingredients for the Chiefs’ success
The Kansas City Chiefs will credit these dynamic duo of Kelce and Mahomes with much of their success and know they already have two Hall of Famers in their ranks. Moreover, the tight end has flourished after having the two-time MVP slinging passes his way. Likewise, Mahomes has been fortunate to be gifted with the greatest tight end in NFL history as a weapon on offense.
Their chemistry is evident and their off-field relationship comes to the forefront during their plays. Mahomes and Kelce, when under pressure from tight coverage, have shown they are prepared to go off-script. Travis Kelce landed in the NFL four years before his dynamic partner Mahomes arrived Kelce made the jump up from college football to the NFL World four years before Mahomes entered the picture.
Even then, the highest-paid tight end in NFL history had to wait a further year before Mahomes was throwing passes his way as he sat behind Alex Smith. The rookie out of Texas Tech and the 10th overall pick of the 2017 draft was stunned by the difference between college and the real-world NFL.
Both Kelce and Mahomes spoke to NBC and were asked how much of their success they attribute to each other. “I attribute a tonne of mine to Travis, almost all of it,” Mahomes said on daytime TV. “When I was in college I didn’t even have a tight end. I remember getting him (Kelce) in my first year and was like, ‘Guys are this big and can run routes like receivers. This is awesome.’”
Mahomes seemed almost starstruck and grateful that he was given a superstar of Kelce’s status. Kelce’s age is catching up on him but he knows he has more to prove in 2024
The 34-year-old is approaching the twilight of his career but has revolutionized the position which Mahomes appreciates. Kelce’s route running and receiving talent has made him as feared as a franchise’s number one wide receiver on offense.
In 2023, for the first time since 2015, Kelce dropped under 1000 yards receiving on the season. However, he is determined to bounce back as the Chiefs are on the hunt for the historical three-peat. As we have come to expect, if Mahomes and Kelce are signing off the same hymn sheet, then the Chiefs can be an unstoppable red machine
