Travis Kelce’s possible final home game for the Chiefs: a bittersweet Christmas showdown
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce played in 96 regular-season home games for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The next one may be the last.
Kelce, 36, who was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the 11th time on Tuesday, will be inside Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night for a Christmas showdown with the Denver Broncos.
And with the Chiefs eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade and a trip to Las Vegas for their finale, this could be the last time Kelce leaves his beloved home field.
“What Travis has done to this organization, to his teammates, to his coaches, to this city, it’s special,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “I really hope that’s not true. I have so much respect for him.”
Kelce has not yet announced whether he will retire after a stellar 13-year career in which he won three Super Bowl rings and was a four-time All-Pro. But he said his decision would be made quickly after the season ended, giving the Chiefs ample time to prepare not only for free agency and the draft, but also for their future without him.
“I’d rather just stay focused on this team right now,” Kelce said last week, “and any conversations I’ll have with the team and anything moving forward will be with them. And I think it’s a unique time in my life, and unfortunately I know when the season ends this year. Usually we go there and we don’t know when it’s going to end.”
He had a hell of a final season, if that turns out to be the case.
After doubling down on his fitness after the Chiefs were attacked by the Eagles in the Super Bowl last February, Kelce continued to play in every game during a difficult season for the team. He has 68 catches for 803 yards, joining Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to eclipse the 800 receiving yard mark in 12 consecutive seasons.
Kelce also has five touchdown receptions, which matches his most over the past three seasons.
And even though Kelce could have ended it after the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since his first full NFL season, he continued to take the field every day. He had just one catch for 6 yards in last week’s 26-9 loss to the Titans, but that pushed his streak — the longest in the league — to 189 games with at least one reception.
It didn’t help that quarterback Gardner Minshew joined Kelce’s good friend Patrick Mahomes in tearing knee ligaments a week after the two-time MVP. Chris Oladokun finished the game at QB and will start Thursday night against Denver.
“I will say this: What (Kelce) is going through even these last two games: We’re out of the playoffs, we’re out, and he’s out there every day, practicing, leading, helping people,” Nagy said. “It should show a lot of these kids why he plays this game and why he’s so special.”
NOTES: Cornerbacks Trent McDuffie (knee), Jaylen Watson (groin) and receivers Nikko Remigio (knee), Rashee Rice (concussion) and Tyquan Thornton (concussion) did not practice Tuesday. … The Chiefs signed quarterback Shane Buechele as Oladokun’s replacement for the remainder of the season. TE Noah Gray would serve as an emergency quarterback.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
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