Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce makes NFL playoff history with QB Patrick Mahomes
The first sign that this might be a Travis Kelce kind of night started long before the AFC Divisional Round Game kicked off.
On his way into the stadium, Travis’ brother Jason stopped by a Buffalo Bills tailgate and consumed a beverage — shot style — from what appeared to be a bowling ball.
The next party moment occurred inside the stadium, when a shirtless Jason, clutching a beer can, left his suite to join fans in the stands in celebrating Travis’ first touchdown reception from Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs beat the Bills 27-24.
That touchdown made history.
Mahomes and Kelce had connected on a touchdown for the 15th time in the playoffs, and that matched an NFL record. Tom Brady found Rob Gronkowski for a postseason touchdown 15 times with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Joe Montana threw 12 playoff touchdowns to Jerry Rice with the San Francisco 49ers.
Mahomes and Kelce set the record when they later teamed up for a second touchdown.
“We always emphasize getting the ball to Travis,” Mahomes said. “Passing anything that has Brady and Gronk in it is special. Those are two of the greatest players — and Tom is the greatest — so you appreciate that.”
As often as Mahomes and Kelce have succeeded in the playoffs, it had been a minute since they’d found each for a touchdown this season.
Kelce finished the regular season with five touchdown receptions, his fewest in a year since 2016. And he hadn’t scored since the Chiefs’ Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
With five receptions for 75 yards Sunday, Kelce also moved closer to becoming the most prolific pass catcher in NFL playoff history. He now has 145 playoff receptions, six fewer than Rice, the all-time leader who appeared in 29 postseason games with the 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks.
Sunday marked Kelce’s 20th playoff game.
Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who chipped in two receptions for 62 yards, understands he’s playing with one of the game’s greatest players ever.
“The touchdowns don’t really show the value that he brings to the team,” Valdes-Scantling said of Kelce. “He’s the best player to ever play the game at that position, so there’s no lull when he’s on the field. He’s still putting up numbers even at age 39 hundred years he is.”
Kelce is 34 and still scoring touchdowns. On Sunday, the first came from the 22, and happened after Mahomes had missed similar routes on the previous series to Kelce and Valdes-Scantling. In both cases, the ball was overthrow and the Chiefs settled for a Harrison Butker field goal.
“I thought that was going to really hurt us because of how their offense was playing,” Mahomes said. “But we were able to get back to it. It was actually a different coverage and they ended up dropping Travis.”
Kelce was all alone on the reception and walked into the end zone. He flung the ball high into the stands, not far from the suite in which Jason was watching with Taylor Swift. That TD gave the Chiefs their first lead at 13-10.
The second touchdown, a tight end screen, covered 3 yards and capped the opening possession of the second half. It was the fourth multi-touchdown playoff game of Kelce’s career.
Kelce didn’t speak to reporters after the game, but his evening, and Jason’s reveling in his brother’s historic performance, should make for a lively New Heights podcast when the two reunite later this week.
This story was originally published January 21, 2024 at 11:54 PM.