KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While the fireworks exploded above and fans inside Arrowhead Stadium cheered after another touchdown for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, quarterback Patrick Mahomes kept his eye on the ball, the same ball he threw to the most reliable pass catcher of his nine-year career. Mahomes picked up the ball, understanding its significance, and made sure to give it to a team staffer on the Chiefs’ sideline for Kelce to keep.
In the Chiefs’ comfortable 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders, Kelce’s 10-yard touchdown late in the third quarter was a historic one. His 83rd career score tied former running back Priest Holmes for the most total touchdowns in Chiefs franchise history.
“I just cherish these moments, man, being able to play at Arrowhead,” Kelce said, smiling. “This place is special, man, and I love it here. In terms of the historical stuff, I’m still looking at the next game and the next catch and trying to get better.”
Monday’s victory was the Chiefs’ fifth in the past six games, with each coming by double digits. Kelce also had his best game of the season, leading the Chiefs with six receptions on eight targets for 99 yards.
“He’s just the true Chiefs’ Chief,” Mahomes said of Kelce’s accomplishments. “He’s the guy that’s been here through the whole thing, being here with Coach [Andy] Reid the entire time. He helped set the culture of what it means to play for Coach Reid and for Kansas City. I was able to come in and have that guy to rely on.
“He’s breaking all the records now. He’s all about the team, so I wanted to make sure he gets that [ball], and hopefully we can get another ball for him later in the season when he breaks the record.”
The first time Mahomes threw the ball to Kelce on Monday night, the first-quarter play resulted in a 1-yard loss. But on the next play, Mahomes put the ball back in Kelce’s hands. The lone issue for the Chiefs was that the ball didn’t stay with Kelce, instead bouncing in the air and being intercepted by linebacker Bobby Wagner.
The Chiefs’ lackluster performance on offense in the first half, featuring two giveaways, led to a 7-7 tie at halftime.
“When you look at how everything unfolded in the first half, my drop turned into an interception, and it was kind of us dictating how we were playing,” Kelce said. “When we decided in the second half to just rally together and match [the Commanders’] energy — play strong, play fast and play physical — we ended up putting some points on the board.”
Kelce put together another vintage performance by doing what he has always done throughout his career: devour zone coverage.
All of Kelce’s production was against the Commanders’ zone coverage, according to Next Gen Stats. The Commanders’ secondary often had to worry about the speed from receivers Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and Tyquan Thornton. Before his touchdown reception, Kelce ran an out route, then pivoted in the opposite direction, which created additional separation against free safety Darnell Savage.
“He’s a very patient player, and I’ve been learning that from him constantly,” receiver Rashee Rice said of Kelce. “The first half was slow, and me and him had a talk as soon as we came out before the second half started. He didn’t have to say too much, but just for him to say I need to get going, it still meant a lot.”
The biggest highlight for the Chiefs was when Kelce wasn’t Mahomes’ first, second or third passing option on a play-action snap early in the third quarter. Kelce leaked out after blocking for a wide-open 38-yard gain in which he rumbled and stumbled into the red zone.
“Even though we haven’t been hitting some of these explosive plays, the defenses are respecting it,” Mahomes said. “That was a shot play where I had [Worthy] and [Brown] and they covered them well. Travis was blocking, blocking, blocking and you have to play, so he just released because he saw no one was guarding him.”
Together, Mahomes and Kelce are just the third quarterback-tight end duo in NFL history to connect for 75 touchdowns, including the playoffs, joining Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski (105) and Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates (90).
“I’m just the old, lucky dog still able to do this thing, man,” Kelce said, smiling. “I’m putting on the pads like I’m 15 years old again. I’m loving every single bit of it.”
