Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had a much-needed breakout game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, aiding his team in a 17-10 win.
Kelce, 34 — who turns 35 in less than a week — had five catches for 74 yards in the first half alone. Those 74 yards eclipsed the 69 yards he had amassed during the first three games of the season combined. He finished Sunday with 89 yards on seven receptions.
Entering Sunday, Kelce hadn’t caught more than four passes or finished with more than 34 yards in any game this season.
Late in the first half of a win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, Kelce was caught on the sidelines looking despondent, an image that quickly became a meme.
“I think with how defenses are playing us right now, I’m not really getting a lot of opportunities to make plays down the field, but not using that as an excuse,” Kelce said on his podcast before the Chargers game. “Moving forward, still trying to make sure that I can help the team out in that regard.”
Kelce’s teammates showed support for their struggling tight end before the game, as several wore custom T-shirts adorned with his name and photos.
The Chiefs entered their Week 4 battle with the Chargers undefeated but with a middling passing offense by their standards. Kansas City was averaging 211.7 yards per game through the air after three weeks, 12th-best in the NFL. It ended Sunday’s game with 228 yards passing.
Kelce’s breakout came at a desperate time for the Chiefs’ offense.
Kansas City is already without its leading rusher, Isiah Pacheco, who underwent surgery after he broke a fibula in Week 2. Pacheco was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss at least six weeks.
Then on Sunday, the team’s leading receiver, Rashee Rice, was carted off the field after he injured a knee. Rice was trying to make a tackle after Patrick Mahomes threw an interception when Mahomes inadvertently dove into his knee.
Kelce was the Chiefs’ leading receiver last season. He finished the 2023 regular season with 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns.
In Kansas City’s win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58, Kelce had nine catches for 93 yards. He is the Chiefs’ all-time leader in receiving yards and owns the NFL record for career postseason receptions.
In the offseason, Kelce acted professionally for the first time, filming a role in the FX series “Grotesquerie.” He also appeared onstage with girlfriend, Taylor Swift, during her Eras Tour show in London.