Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce is holding himself accountable during his slow start to the 2024 season.
“The stats may say something different this year but you still see the same person inside this building and that’s all i care about.”
“I think this year stats may say something different, but at the same time you’ll see the same person inside this building, and that’s all I really care about,” Kelce said, per ESPN’s Adam Teicher.
“I’m my own worst critic. Everything outside of this building is just noise.”
The Chiefs have started the year with a 3-0 record, but the 34-year-old has recorded just 69 receiving yards through three appearances. After racking up 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Kelce hasn’t been able to find the end zone to start his 2024 campaign.
Kelce’s individual production declined in 2023, as he fell below the 1,000-yard threshold for the first time since 2015. Still, he was able to record 984 yards and likely would have maintained the streak if he didn’t sit in the final game of the season with Kansas City’s playoff positioning locked up.
He also fared much better to start the year, hauling in 17 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns through his first three appearances in 2023.
Second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice has been Patrick Mahomes’ top target this season, recording 288 yards and two touchdowns.
“I’m fortunate. I’ve had the success in the past and I realized that the ball can’t always go to one person,” Kelce said, via Teicher. “It can’t always get in my hands, but at the same time, I got all the trust in [Patrick Mahomes] to make the right decision, and he’s been making great decisions. We might not be putting up as [many] points as we want to, but at the same time we’re 3-0 and we’re doing something right.”
The Chiefs rank No. 14 among all NFL teams by averaging 328 yards per game through three weeks, a relatively disappointing mark for a squad that is searching for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory.
Kelce could step up for another postseason run, as he averaged 88.8 yards per game in four playoff contests last year. This included a 93-yard performance during Kansas City’s 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.
He’ll attempt to get back on track before the playoffs, starting with a matchup against a division rival on Sunday. The Chiefs travel to face the Los Angeles Chargers, with kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET.
