Patrick Mahomes praised Travis Kelce’s stellar performance following the Kansas City Chiefs’ 23-14 divisional-round playoff win over the Houston Texans on Saturday.
“You know 87 was gonna show up whenever it’s a big time moment and he did that,” Mahomes said in an interview after the game (0:45 mark). “Everybody was asking, where’s Travis Kelce at? I think he showed the world where he’s at.”
Kelce caught seven of eight targets for a game-high 117 yards and a touchdown, helping Kansas City close out the victory in the fourth quarter.
He accounted for most of Mahomes’ passing yards, with the signal-caller finishing 16-of-25 for 177 yards and a score.
Kelce also recorded over half of Kansas City’s 212 total yards on offense.
It was an impressive performance by the tight end, as he failed to surpass 100 receiving yards during 16 regular-season appearances in 2024.
Kelce has still proven himself as one of the top players at his position, but his individual production has dipped slightly as of late. He caught 97 passes for 823 yards and three touchdowns entering the playoffs.
The 35-year-old has failed to reach 1,000 yards in each of the past two years after crossing the threshold in every season from 2016-22. While Kelce still earned his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl nod, he wasn’t as effective during his 2024 campaign compared to previous years.
He’s continued to repeatedly step up in the playoffs, though.
Kelce owned an average of 86.5 receiving yards per game in the postseason heading into Saturday’s contest, representing an increase over his mark of 69.4 yards per game throughout his regular-season career.
He rose to the occasion during the Chiefs’ run to a Super Bowl title during their 2023 season, hauling in 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns in four playoff contests.
As Kansas City attempts to win a third consecutive championship, Kelce appears to be turning back the clock once again.
