Chiefs Roster: Travis Kelce can still be a major weapon at 35

For the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ celebrity tight finish Travis Kelce, 2023 was a season of each triumph and battle.

As he was being catapulted into worldwide fame by way of his podcast (and his highly-publicized romance with pop icon Taylor Swift), he performed by way of a season through which he battled a number of accidents and watched his statistical manufacturing decline.

Kelce missed the season’s opening sport as a consequence of a bone bruise from a knee hyperextension that he suffered throughout apply simply two days earlier than. In Week 5, he sustained an ankle harm. Though he didn’t miss one other sport till he selected to take a seat out in Week 18, most observers thought Kelce by no means regarded fairly the identical; it was broadly believed he had “misplaced a step.”

Kelce completed the season with 984 receiving yards, ending his record-smashing streak of 1,000-yard seasons at seven. However following his week off, Kelce returned to his outdated methods within the playoffs, amassing 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns over 4 video games — and as soon as once more taking part in a key function because the Chiefs gained their second consecutive Tremendous Bowl.

In 2024, Kelce will flip 35. What sort of manufacturing can we anticipate from him this season — and the way lengthy ought to we anticipate him to play?

Corridor of Fame tight finish manufacturing after age 35

There are 9 tight ends within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. As soon as he retires, Kelce will undoubtedly be part of this illustrious group as a first-ballot enshrinee. Simply three of those performed by way of the age of 35: former Chief Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe and Jackie Smith.

Whereas he performed by way of his age-38 season, Smith didn’t produce a lot after he turned 35 in 1975. In any case, his statistics are in keeping with the period through which he performed. In these days, the operating sport dominated; a decent finish’s important job was to dam. So it’s best to check Kelce to his different two Corridor of Fame contemporaries.

Regardless that it was a “down” 12 months for him, Kelce’s 2023 season was extra productive than both Gonzalez or Sharpe’s age-34 seasons — partially as a result of he had extra targets as a bigger a part of the Kansas Metropolis offense. Throughout his profession, Kelce’s model of soccer can also be starkly completely different from how these two Corridor of Famers performed. The Chiefs steadily align Kelce within the slot. Conventional tight ends tended to be on the road of scrimmage, the place they will extra simply be used as blockers.

However observe that neither Gonzalez or Sharpe’s manufacturing dipped after they turned 34. It truly improved of their age-35 seasons — and for Gonzalez, even past that.

Nonetheless, no tight finish older than 34 has completed a season with 1,000 receiving yards — and solely three have ever eclipsed 700 yards. (Along with Sharpe and Gonzalez, Ben Watson had an 825-yard season at 35). Gonzalez’s 930 yards in his age-36 season is essentially the most receiving yards by a decent finish on this age vary. Kelce could have a official likelihood at exceeding these numbers this season.

The underside line

Whereas quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly the offense’s chief, it hinges on Kelce’s capacity in the course of the sphere. With the tight finish hobbled for at the least a portion of the 2023 season — and with the problems at extensive receiver — the offense by no means regarded fairly proper.

Whereas it’s cheap to be involved about accidents to a participant his age, Kelce has remained remarkably wholesome all through his profession. Final season’s Week 1 sport was the primary he’d missed as a consequence of harm since his rookie season in 2013. However because the workforce has added offensive assist in the type of extensive receivers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, Kelce ought to have the ability to draw much less consideration from defenses — which couldn’t solely assist his manufacturing but in addition cut back the damage and tear on his physique.

Kelce continues to exhibit he’s a uncommon breed. He has already far outpaced the norms for manufacturing at his age. And whereas different Corridor of Fame tight ends haven’t performed as lengthy into their careers, final season proved Kelce can nonetheless be greater than an efficient contributor. He can nonetheless be the weapon within the Kansas Metropolis offense.

Some consider that Kelce’s days because the league’s greatest tight finish are coming to an finish. However that may’t be predicted solely by his age. Historical past exhibits he can nonetheless be productive within the coming 12 months — and maybe even past that.

When Kelce hangs up his cleats, he’ll most likely be thought-about the best tight finish of all time. However that’s not taking place in 2024 — and it could not occur in 2025, both. To this point, he’s managed to outrun Father Time. He’ll try to remain within the lead — and proceed being a key cog in Kansas Metropolis’s offensive machine because the workforce goals for an unprecedented three-peat as Tremendous Bowl champions.