Stories address work-ethic narratives about Chiefs’ Travis Kelce

As recently as earlier this fall, some members of the NFL community suggested that Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce was distracted and not fully committed to the cause amid his slow start to the season and his much-publicized relationship with entertainment superstar Taylor Swift. 

During a recent appearance on the “This Is Football” podcast, former Chiefs offensive lineman Kyle Long touched upon how Kelce spends portions of practices by himself working on routes ahead of games. 

“He would walk through, sometimes I’d see him over there with his eyes closed, at maybe a quarter speed, going through his routes, getting different situations for a Y choice route, working through his footwork,” Long said about Kelce, as shared by Tyler Lauletta of Sports Illustrated. “He takes that portion of the mental game and pairs it with technique. He takes that, and he brings it back to the live periods, and you watch him work this stuff. He incrementally ramps it up until Sunday, and what we see on Sunday is a guy who makes it look easy time and time again.” 

Takes about Kelce’s work ethic hovered over the Chiefs throughout the 2023 season as Swift became a fixture at games. He then silenced any criticisms by recording postseason highs of 32 receptions, 355 receiving yards and three touchdown grabs (tied with Jake Ferguson of the Dallas Cowboys) across four playoff games en route to helping Kansas City win Super Bowl LVIII. 

ESPN stats show Kelce led the 2024 Chiefs for the regular season with 97 receptions, 133 targets and 823 receiving yards. However, the fact he scored only three touchdowns had some wondering ahead of this past weekend’s divisional-round game versus the Houston Texans if he was no longer the dominant force he was in his prime. 

Kelce seemed to answer such questions when he tallied seven catches for 117 yards and a score in a 23-14 win over Houston. 

For a piece produced by ESPN’s Adam Teicher that was published on Tuesday, former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith detailed why head coach Andy Reid gives Kelce “a bigger leash on route running” than any other player. 

“[Reid] empowered Travis to do that, but he earned it. He studied and put in his time and he earned it,” Smith explained. “Look at how crafty he’s always been. That only comes with preparation and work. Some of the stuff he does looks backyard-, recess-type stuff, but it’s not. There was a method to the madness. The only way Travis is the player he is is because he understands all the nuances.”

Teicher noted how current Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said he’s routinely quizzed by Kelce during practices “about coverages and what he might have seen that led him to defend a particular route a certain way.” 

Meanwhile, Kansas City starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes indicated Kelce is often spotted at the Chiefs’ practice facility during offseasons even though he has embraced numerous off-the-field business opportunities at this stage of his life. 

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Chiefs as 1.5-point favorites for the upcoming AFC Championship Game versus the Buffalo Bills held at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. It certainly sounds like Kelce will be ready for whatever the Bills throw at him this coming Sunday.