With Travis Kelce set to return in 2025, what does the Chiefs star TE have left to accomplish?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Now that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has confirmed he’ll return for a 13th season, the question remains: what does the legendary tight end have left to accomplish?
Both the Chiefs and NFL record books are already littered with Kelce’s name. Through 12 seasons, Kelce has 1,004 receptions, 12,151 yards and 77 touchdowns.
Those numbers have already cemented himself as the franchise record-holder for several categories in Kansas City, leading the Chiefs all-time in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
In a most receptions in Super Bowl history.
“I’m coming back for sure,” McAfee said Kelce told him via text. “Gonna try to get in the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop. Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”
While Kelce is already high in the all-time rankings for all the typical receiving categories, he can continue to improve upon those numbers in 2025.
His 1,004 receptions is currently 14th in NFL history. With 66 receptions in 2025, Kelce would sur former Indianapolis Colts star wide receiver Reggie Wayne and enter the top 10 in NFL history for catches. In all 11 seasons Kelce played more than just one game, the Cincinnati product has had at least 67 receptions.
With 12,151 receiving yards in his regular season career, Kelce is currently 28th all-time in NFL history. With 200 receiving yards in 2025, he would sur Jimmy Smith, Antonio Brown and Brandon Marshall to the top 25 in receiving yardage in league history. The 823 receiving yards he had in 2024 was the least he’d totaled in a full season.
The 35-year-old, who will turn 36 in October, will enter the 2025 season with 77 receiving touchdowns. His most recent regular season touchdown, a Christmas Day score against the Pittsburgh Steelers, pushed him past Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez. It also has him in a tie for 37th in the NFL’s all-time receiving touchdowns ranks.
Coming off a career-low 3 touchdowns in the 2024 regular season, it’s unclear how many times Kelce will find the end zone next season, but he could sur several others in 2025.
And through his 12 regular seasons, Kelce has been on the field for more Chiefs victories than any player in franchise history.
Postseason greatness
As Kelce mentioned in his text to Pat McAfee, the Chiefs’ great isn’t returning just to pad his regular season statistics. Kelce, who has played in five Super Bowls and won three with Kansas City, is coming back in hopes of another deep playoff run.
Kansas City’s playoff greatness over the course of Kelce’s partnership with quarterback Patrick Mahomes has Kelce near the peak of several playoff records as well.
In 25 career playoff games, Kelce has 178 receptions, 2,078 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.
No one in the history of the NFL has more playoff receptions than Kelce’s 178. He sured Jerry Rice for that record during the Chiefs’ 2023 AFC Championship Game win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Only Rice stands in Kelce’s way of claiming the receiving yardage and receiving touchdowns records as well. The former San Francisco 49ers legend had 2,245 yards and 22 touchdowns in his playoff career, leaving him 167 yards and 2 touchdowns ahead of Kelce.
Kelce is the winningest player in Chiefs franchise history, combining regular season and postseason victories across his decade-plus of playing time in Kansas City.
If the Chiefs make an unprecedented fourth straight Super Bowl appearance, the Super Bowl for Kelce would bring him and several others on the Chiefs roster into a tie for second-most Super Bowls played in. Only Tom Brady (10 Super Bowl appearances) has more than 6 appearances in a Super Bowl.
No matter what Kelce accomplishes in 2025, it’s clear he’ll walk into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible. Now, it’s just about seeing the end game in Year 13 for No. 87.
“Hopefully he has a magical season to end his magical career,” general manager Brett Veach said.
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