A season ago, the Kansas City Chiefs' passing game lacked consistency and a higher gear the football world had grown to expect in previous campaigns. As he turned 34 years old, tight end Travis Kelce began to show signs of age as he dealt with injuries throughout the fall.
The four-time All-Pro turned back the clock in the playoffs, though, looking like he was right in the thick of his prime. Kansas City is hoping that with some better surrounding talent and better fortune on the health front, Kelce can fight off Father Time as he approaches his 35th birthday in October.
The regular season hasn't even started yet, but Kelce is hard at work. At the end of Chiefs training camp, quarterback Patrick Mahomes dove into how Kelce remains effective on the back nine of his career. Mahomes didn't reveal a secret, instead doubling down on something Kelce's been all about for years: putting the work in.
"It's remarkable, honestly," Mahomes said. "You see him out there every day at practice, he's working. He's in there getting the reps. He actually gets mad when they take him out, and he has all the right in the world to go out there and just kind of be on the sideline and coach because he knows all the stuff. He doesn't necessarily need the reps but he loves it, man. He loves working. It makes my job easy as a leader to push other guys because I can say, 'Look at the Hall-of-Famer who's out here practicing harder than anybody.'"
As he continues to get older, Kelce is seeing the field less and less. In each of the last six seasons, he's witnessed his snap percentages take a hit. Going from 95% in 2018 to 77% last year, the trend coincides with the NFL's best tight end likely benefitting from the extra time off. He's on record admitting that it's difficult to accept load management, although Kansas City's tight end room makes him more confident that things will remain smooth when he's off the field.
It's still a mystery when Kelce will hang the cleats up, but he has a Hall of Fame bust waiting for him whenever that moment is. He's seen and done just about everything on the football field, regardless of regular-season or playoff context. His new two-year contract adjustment could provide a perfect exit plan if desired. If not, Kansas City will gladly keep him around for longer.
As he's said countless times, Kelce is riding until the wheels fall off. As long as he loves the game, he'll keep putting his best foot forward. His quarterback says that entering year No. 12, Kelce's passion hasn't left even one bit.
"That's what makes him so special, man, is that he enjoys the process of being great," Mahomes said. "Not just the top, not winning the Super Bowl. He enjoys the process of practicing, he enjoys the process of working on little details, and that's what the great ones do. You've heard stories like that with Jerry Rice and guys like that and when you're great like that, you enjoy the process of what it takes to be great. It helps me lead other guys because you can always point to that guy to show that's how it's done."
