When it comes to salary talk, Travis Kelce, one of the NFL’s best bargains, says this
George Kittle should become Travis Kelce’s agent.
Earlier this week, Kittle said on Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk podcast that Kelce was undervalued based on his production.
“Travis Kelce, six seasons in a row, 1,000 yards,” Kittle said. “I’m pretty sure he has the most receiving yards over any wide receiver, skill position, in the last six years. He gets paid half of what a wide receiver makes, which just boggles my mind.
“I mean, to me, Travis Kelce, he’s been doing it for so long and at such a high level. And he doesn’t have an off game. I think he has one bad game a year, and it’s just because he’s getting triple-teamed. So he’s a player I look at, like, when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s a monster.”
It’s a good point about tight ends playing catch-up to wide receivers in salary. Kittle is the NFL’s top-paid tight end at $15 million annually, with Kelce ranks second at $14.3 million.
Over the past few months, the bar for top wide receiver salaries was raised substantially. Former Chiefs star Tyreek Hill, now with the Miami Dolphins, tops the list at $30 million. In fact, according to overthecap.com, at least 19 wide receivers have an average annual salary greater than the top tight end wearing No. 87 for the Chiefs.
Not that Kelce, 32 and signed through 2025, is clamoring for a raise.
“I appreciate Kittle saying that,” Kelce said Thursday. “That’s my guy and he always wants to see every tight end get paid as much as their production is.
“At the same time, I signed my contract understanding what I had. I put a lot into this. Money in my mind is almost secondary in my career. I’m here for the legacy and trying to make the Kansas City Chiefs the best team possible. That’s my main focus. That’s why I’m here.”
Kelce, who entered the NFL in 2013, is a three-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Those six seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards is an NFL record for a tight end, and he established a new record for yards in a season by a tight end with 1,416 in 2020.
He’s been even better in the postseason. Kelce’s 106 playoff receptions rank third all-time and his 12 touchdown receptions tie for third.
This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM.