Thanks to the Help Around Him and a ‘Special’ Trait, Playoff Travis Kelce Is Back

Travis Kelce broke out in the divisional round for the Kansas City Chiefs, which is no surprise due to the star TE's approach and his teammates.

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts after a pass reception against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

A year ago, tight end Travis Kelce spoiled the Kansas City Chiefs when he responded to perhaps the worst regular season of his career with an epic postseason run in which he turned the clock all the way back. Many hoped something similar would happen this time around but after Kelce passed the age-35 threshold and had an even worse season, there was plenty of doubt.

Heck, the future first-ballot Hall of Fame man even admitted that he was declining in certain areas of his game. That sure wasn't evident, though, in the divisional round of the playoffs. Kelce looked the best he had since last February's Super Bowl LVIII win, hauling in seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in the divisional round. His performance against the Houston Texans served as a pleasant surprise for plenty of folks.

Head coach Andy Reid wasn't included in that group. Speaking to the media this week, Reid doubled down on brushing aside the rumors of Kelce's demise and instead shifted focus to there simply being less attention on slowing him down. With Kansas City finally (mostly) healthy, there's an optimal environment for him to thrive.

"I'm happy for him with the seven catches and all that," Reid said. "I think more of it is just [that] we've got a variety of guys around him. The opportunities that he's had, he's done well with. I don't think it's his play that has been reduced – everybody asked about age – by age or physical ability or anything. I just think that you've got a variety of guys that we've been able to use around him and when we didn't, teams were ganging up on him. It's a good problem now because guys are healthy and we've got choices out there and they can't really just focus on him."

In some ways, Reid makes a valid point. Before the regular season even began, wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown suffered a sternoclavicular injury that led to him missing months. Early in the campaign, second-year standout Rashee Rice was knocked out with a season-ending knee injury. Although first-round pick Xavier Worthy was in the mix and DeAndre Hopkins got added via an in-season trade, neither player was fully ready from the jump. Worthy's development was a slow-burning arc, and Hopkins still doesn't have a clear-cut star role on offense. Even Brown's seemingly immediate impact after returning wasn't felt as much last Saturday.

That makes for plenty of moving pieces and parts for the focal point of the group to work around. Reid thinks because Kelce is more than willing to put that work in, however, it makes him a special talent even in the twilight of his career.

"It's not only his energy, it's that positive mindset that you can do anything," Reid said. "I think he does a great job with that in being able to show it to the guys [like], 'Listen, if we come together the right way, anything is possible.' That's the thing I appreciate the most. I also appreciate that at his age, he goes out there every day and practices hard. And if you try to take him out, he gets mad at you. I think that's a special thing for an older player."

With things surrounding him settling down a bit and the stakes being raised, Kelce is able to tap back into his elite form. It's what quarterback Patrick Mahomes describes as "playoff Trav," as well as what makes Reid declare him the "greatest tight end there's been."

Should the Chiefs keep getting the best version of their best pass catcher moving forward, Sunday's AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills might not be their last one of the postseason.

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