Andy Reid and Travis Kelce (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid isn’t here for the notion that superstar tight end Travis Kelce is slowing down, despite the All-Pro’s surprisingly slow start to the 2024 season.
The 34-year-old Travis Kelce (35 next week) has just eight receptions for 69 yards and no touchdowns over his first three games. Kelce has exceeded the 60-catch and 800-yard mark every year since becoming a full-time starter in 2014, but he’s on pace to finish with below 400 yards this season.
Per ESPN’s Adam Teicher, coach Reid isn’t at all concerned about Kelce’s sluggish start to the season. Reid cited the production of second-year receiver Rashee Rice as well as the opposition’s focus on blanketing Kelce:
“I know people are saying that he is old or whatever, has distractions and all this [but] the defenses don’t think that. We have another receiver (Rashee Rice) that plays opposite him that has a lot of yards and catches and that’s how this thing goes.
“He works his tail off and he hasn’t lost his step and all those things and he’s not distracted. That’s not the case. People are making sure they have him taken care of by some of these defenses.”
Rice is off to a tremendous start with 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Xavier Worthy is second in receiving on the defending champs, albeit with only six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
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At any rate, Travis Kelce’s sluggish start isn’t exactly hurting the Chiefs right now. They are sitting nicely at 3-0, with victories against a trio of competitive teams in the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons.
And don’t forget that Kelce didn’t look like his usual dominant self for long portions of the 2023 regular season. Then came the postseason, where he racked up 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns in four games en route to another Chiefs Super Bowl title.
Travis Kelce Will Figure It Out Soon
It’s certainly possible that Kelce won’t put up 1,000-plus yards again, considering his age and how much opposing defenses are focusing on him. But Kelce’s size and strength aren’t going away, and he will still draw plenty of favorable matchups when other teams focus more on Rice and Worthy.
Kansas City has also faced three quality defenses to start the season. With easier competition, Kelce will eventually turn back the clock and regain that star-like form.
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