Travis Kelce breaks NFL record to help Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl

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The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl thanks largely to the performance of their legendary tight end.

We’ve become all too accustomed to seeing Travis Kelce come up big in the postseason, and he was massive in their 17-10 AFC Championship triumph over the Baltimore Ravens.

Coming into the playoffs, Kelce had a regular season that we’d all agree was well below his standards.

Despite leading the Chiefs in receiving yards in 2023, Kelce saw his run of 1,000-yard receiving seasons end at seven, finishing this regular season with 984 yards through the air.

He and Patrick Mahomes though are money in the postseason, wiping away any doubt that either of them had lost a step in the 2023 playoffs.

Coming Through When It Counts

When many consider you to the most outstanding tight end of all time, going without a touchdown for eight straight games, counting the playoffs like Kelce did this season, will leave many with questions.

That, along with the countless subpar performances from the Chief’s offense in 2023,had many doubting their chances in the postseason.

In the AFC Championship Game against one of the top defensive units in the regular season though, Kelce proved to be a difference maker.

The 34-year-old was targeted 11 times by Mahomes against Baltimore, catching every one of the passes thrown his way for 116 yards and a touchdown.

His TD was against Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, the first time the First-team All-Pro safety had been burned for a TD in the 2023 regular season or playoffs.

Together Kelce and Rashee Rice made 19 receptions versus the Ravens, eight more than the rest of the Chiefs.

Kelce’s performance on Sunday put him ahead of Jerry Rice for the most career postseason receptions.

Before the start of Sunday’s game, Kelce needed seven receptions to equal the all-time playoff record set by the former three-time Super Bowl champion.

Kelce is now at 155.

Keeping it 100

All game long, Kelce played like a first-year ballot Hall of Famer, making spectacular catches in tight coverage.

Early in the second half, he hit the century mark for receiving yards on his 10th catch.

Thanks to that reception, Kelce and Jerry Rice are tied for the most all-time 100-plus yard receiving games in NFL playoff history (eight).

His 116-yard, 11 catch day is his third-best yardage output and second-best game for catches during the 2023 campaign.

He’s now up to 1,810 all-time receiving yards in his playoff career, meaning he’ll probably need to come back for at least another season or two to reach #1.

Jerry Rice has the most all-time with 2,245 yards.

A performance like that was worthy of a visit from music icon Taylor Swift, who shared a kiss with Kelce following the victory.

In two weeks, Kelce and the Chiefs can become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.

It will be a rematch of the 2019 Super Bowl as the Chiefs meet the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.

KC came away with a 31-20 victory in that game.