It should come as no surprise that quarterback Patrick Mahomes found tight end Travis Kelce open in the right spot during the first major team-period repetition of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 season on Tuesday morning during the first session of minicamp. Kelce was open against zone coverage.
When the rep was over, Kelce did something unexpected: he jogged off the field and went back to the sidelines.
Because he detests being off the field, whether it be for practice, a regular-season game, or the Super Bowl, Kelce has developed into the best tight end in the NFL and a potential Hall of Famer. Still, at 34 years old, Kelce is past his prime.
The Chiefs and Kelce had their first chance on Tuesday to figure out how to best balance his career-extending opportunities, whether that means lowering his practice reps or perhaps just a little bit less game snaps in the upcoming campaign.
“It’s my job to make sure coach (Andy) Reid has full confidence in me, whenever he needs me on the field, that I get my job done,” Kelce said. “As much as I want to be out there every single play, I understand that it’s for the betterment of the team when I’m not. I’ve had to kind of understand that over the past couple of years.”
87 days until we back in action. pic.twitter.com/a9gxaYEe0V
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 11, 2024
The most notable instance for Kelce occurred during his most recent game in pads, when the Chiefs were down the San Francisco 49ers for a significant portion of Super Bowl LVIII in February. Reid tried his best to minimize Kelce’s plays in the first half because he thought that after the game’s longer than normal halftime, his tight end could be most useful to Mahomes and the offense.
Reid took Kelce off the field early in the second quarter and replaced him with backup tight end Noah Gray. Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs’ first giveaway, fumbled the ball inside the red zone as the play came to a close. In reaction to the play, Kelce yelled at Reid, repeatedly yelling the five words “Give me the f—ing ball!” and even bumping the coach in the process.
On the other hand, Reid’s strategy worked out well. With a team-high eight receptions on nine targets for 92 yards in the second half and overtime, Kelce enabled the Chiefs to overcome a 10-point deficit and win the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in a row.
“I think if you manage Travis the right way, there’s still good production there,” Reid said in late February during the NFL combine. “I would be the first one to tell him if I didn’t think there was. We have to manage him the right way. The older the guys get, you can’t be in there every rep. I know you want to be, but you can’t. But you’re going to have a great fourth quarter, right?”
During practice on Tuesday, Kelce refrained from confronting Reid about his repetitions, or lack thereof. Rather, when Kelce and Mahomes were practicing together, Kelce demonstrated that he is still the Chiefs’ top wide receiver.
Reid anticipates that by reducing Kelce’s workload, the longest-tenured player in Chiefs history will not have to overcome as many challenges as he did during the previous campaign.
Kelce hyperextended his right knee during the penultimate practice prior to the start of the previous season. This non-contact injury resulted in his first game absence since 2014. The Chiefs fell to the Detroit Lions 21–20 in Kelce’s absence. He suffered a mild ankle sprain in Week 5 during a Minnesota Vikings victory that had no contact.
The Chiefs’ opponents virtually always employed the same strategy in the second half of the season: they committed two defenders, sometimes even three, to cover Kelce, preventing him from having the space he frequently needs to modify or alter his route. Along with his diminished ability to avoid defenders and break tackles, his output also declined throughout the second part of the season.
However, following a week off in the regular-season finale, Kelce improved his game in the postseason. During the Chiefs’ historic four-game run, he caught 32 passes for 355 yards and three scores.
“The odds of someone playing this far into their 30s are very low, but it does happen,” general manager Brett Veach said of Kelce in late April. “It happens with just unicorns in the profession, and Travis is one of those. He’s shown no signs of slowing down. Everyone noticed the kind of postseason he had. He just found an extra gear. These special players are always able to find that extra gear. If anybody can do it, Travis can.”
Year 12 already?! 🏹 @tkelce pic.twitter.com/XbYHPzhVVc
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 10, 2024
With his two-year contract extension earlier this offseason, Kelce became the Chiefs’ highest-paid tight end for the first time in his 11-year career. Under the terms of the new contract, Kelce will receive $17 million this year, fully guaranteed, through the 2025 season. A league insider claims that his $17.25 million contract in 2025 is essentially guaranteed.
The first sign that Kelce would retire after the 2025 season seemed to be his contract extension with the Chiefs.
“I really can’t put a timeframe on (retirement),” Kelce said. “Obviously, I know there’s opportunities outside of football for me. You have to keep in perspective that I’m still a little kid when I come into this building, man. I know I’m 34 years old, but I have a love to do this right here, in the middle of the heat in June.
“I love coming to work every single day. I’m going to do it until the wheels fall off. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen anytime soon. I can definitely understand that it’s toward the end of the road (more) than it is the beginning of it.”
This week, Kelce said he was more at ease with practicing with fewer reps due to the quantity of excellent skill-position players Veach and Reid added this offseason. The Chiefs signed receiver Marquise Brown to a one-year contract as their largest free agent signing. The Chiefs selected tight end Jared Wiley and receiver Xavier Worthy in the draft.
During the seven-on-seven on Tuesday, Brown received a surprise. Sensing a chance to play football in the center of the field, Kelce intercepted a Mahomes throw and lateraled the ball toward Brown, who was unprepared.
“The dude just loves to practice,” linebacker Drue Tranquill said of Kelce. “That’s just uncommon, his energy. He’s vocal. I hinged covering him on an over route and he’s saying, ‘Man, great job on that coverage. What did you see?’ Little aspects of the game still strike his curiosity, and he’s always looking to become better.
“You don’t always see that when guys are as great as he is and have accomplished as much as he’s accomplished. There tends to be some complacency that creeps in. You don’t see that with Travis.”
Naturally, Kelce is aware that the Chiefs’ tightest games will be those in which he is not playing as frequently as he usually does—in the past, it has been about 80% of the snaps. On Tuesday, he gave Reid the same advice the Chiefs have given him since he emerged as one of their greatest players: trust him to deliver.
“Wear and tear me, baby,” Kelce said, smiling. “I’m ready for it, man. Put the load on me. I love being accountable for the men and women in this building and Chiefs Kingdom. I love the aspect of everybody counting on me to try and make that play for the team.”
Quick hits
• IRookie Kingsley Suamataia seems to be ahead of second-year player Wanya Morris in the exciting duel at left tackle. The bulk of the reps with the anticipated starters were played by Suamataia, who the Chiefs selected with a second-round choice. Suamataia did a good job of staying in front of defensive end George Karlaftis during the first team period. However, Karlaftis stepped up his speed rush to avoid Suamataia during the second team session, forcing Mahomes to scramble out of the pocket to finish the play. After a few repetitions, Suamataia showed good response, obstructing defensive end Mike Danna. Morris did a respectable job on his turn.
Did we just become best friends?!@KingSuamataia x @Griffin_mcdow62 pic.twitter.com/BdrY7NpQkM
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 11, 2024
Kelce’s one error On Tuesday, he ran an intermediary route before missing a throw from Mahomes. Bryan Cook, a three-year veteran safety, was in position to make the interception as the ball bounced up in the air. Cook participated fully in each session for the first time this offseason, which is encouraging after his rehabilitation after suffering a season-ending injury to his left ankle in early December. To keep his starting position, the Chiefs anticipate that Cook will participate fully in training camp.
“Man, I love B-Cook, how he’s handled the adversity, in terms of the injury,” Kelce said. “He’s an absolute stud of a professional and a player. You can just see him getting better and better every single snap. It’s because of his mindset and how he approaches life. I just love that dude.”
When Mahomes completed a no-look pass to Wiley, who was rushing across the field, it was one of his better passes of the first team period. During the red zone seven-on-seven, Mahomes hit Wiley (6-foot-6, 249 pounds) with a brilliant lob pass. Wiley outjumped defender Joshua Williams (6-3, 193 pounds) to score in the front corner of the end zone.
“Wiley is doing a great job,” Kelce said. “He’s got a lot of upside. He’s a smart guy and I would say he’s a lot further along than I was as a rookie, in terms of just understanding the offense and really seeing the field. … It’s fun to watch him take off.”
Of the 91 players on the roster, 86 participated in Tuesday’s practice. Defense ends Charles Omenihu (recovering from a torn right ACL) and BJ Thompson (resting after being released from the hospital Monday night after cardiac arrest), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (recovering from an elbow injury), and left guard Joe Thuney (recovering from a pectoral injury) did not play.
(Photo: Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
