Travis
Kelce

Travis has been the ultimate bookworm throughout his career. He doesn't go anywhere without a tablet computer that allows him to access every snap he's played. Kelce's study habits set him up for success. Going into 2025, he ranked third all-time among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards.

As he started his 13th year in 2025, Kelce had more catches than any active player (1,004) and stood near the top 10 all-time. The four-time First Team All-Pro ranked 14th on the career list, 66 catches behind Reggie Wayne in 10th, with Andre Johnson, Steve Smith Sr. and Isaac Bruce in between.

Kelce kicked off the Chiefs' run to Super Bowl LIX with a historic performance vs. Houston in the divisional round. The sure-handed star hauled in seven grabs for 117 yards and a touchdown in a 23-14 victory. It was his ninth career 100-yard performance in the postseason, which broke Jerry Rice's NFL record.

One of the NFL's premier tight ends, Travis is a seven-time All-Pro selection who holds the league mark at the position with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2016-22. On Christmas Day in 2024, Kelce etched his name in Chiefs history, getting career catch No. 1,000 and passing Tony Gonzalez for the team's receiving-touchdown standard with 77.

A telcan known for his route running athleticism and relentless pursuit of 50/50 balls, Travis continues to cement his place as one of the greatest ever to play his position. He joined Toni Gonzalez and Jason Witten as just the third tight end to reach 1,000 catches in 2024. In Week 8 of 2025, Kelce became the fifth tight end to notch 80 touchdown grabs.

With a fourth-quarter catch against the Texans during the 2024 season's playoffs, Kelce made NFL history. His 117 receiving yards during the Chiefs' win was the ninth 100-yard postseason game of the all-time great TE's career. That broke a tie with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most such games.

Travis reminded everyone he still owns January in the 2025 AFC Championship Game. He caught everything in traffic, torched zone coverage and was Patrick Mahomes' safety blanket in the Chiefs' 17-10 victory. He finished with 11 catches, 116 yards and a touchdown, showing vintage route savvy, elite feel for space and his trademark playoff swagger.

Kelce forged himself into one of the great tight ends in NFL history with his creativity. "I like to play to the rhythm, if you think of it as a piano player," he told GQ. "But I'm always on the quarterback's timing." That freeform jazz approach has yielded three Super Bowl wins and plenty of melodious highlights.

Whether he was reeling in the ball deep down the field or making defenders miss after a short grab, Kelce was always one touch away from a massive gain with the Bearcats. During his 2012 senior season, the game-changing talent averaged 16.0 yards per catch and totaled eight touchdowns.

Kelce being the highest-rated tight end in Madden NFL 25 was a surprise to no one. With the rating, the superstar joined the '99 Club' for the fifth time, setting a new record for the position. The 34-year-old still being the most dominant at such a physically commanding position is a testament to his work.

Kelce always seems to be on the radar whether the Chiefs' season is in full swing or it's the offseason and he's diving into other entertaining endeavors. In 2024, he signed up to host the game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? He also landed an acting gig on the horror series Grotesquerie.

Targeted a team-high 13 times, Kelce gave the Chargers defense fits in Week 7 of 2023. He was quarterback Patrick Mahomes II's best target, hauling in 12 of the passes thrown his way.