Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce reached a major career milestone during the team’s 31-10 season-opening Monday night win against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium, according to NFL.com. Entering the matchup with 13,002 yards, the 36-year-old needed 45 yards to surpass longtime Dallas Cowboys stalwart Jason Witten, who finished his career with 13,046 yards, as reported by thescore.com.
Travis Kelce Passes Jason Witten for Second All-Time in Receiving Yards
The milestone came in the third quarter when quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with Kelce on a 59-yard pass, bringing Kelce’s career total to 13,067 receiving yards, according to Nbcsports. The play marked Kelce’s longest reception since Week 15 of the 2021 season, when he recorded a 69-yard catch against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to NFL.com. The 59-yard gain advanced the Chiefs to the Denver 4-yard line before defensive player Jahdae Barron prevented a touchdown, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Harrison Butker, according to Nbcsports.
The Historic Tight End Leaderboard
With his latest performance, Kelce now trails only Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history, according to NFL.com. Gonzalez accumulated 15,127 yards during a 17-year career spanning from 1997 to 2013 with the Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, as detailed by thescore.com.
Kelce holds several distinct positional records and milestones:
- Ranks second all-time in receiving yards among tight ends with 13,067 career yards, surpassing Jason Witten’s 13,046 yards, according to thescore.com.
- Holds the tight end record for the most 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons, with seven, according to thescore.com.
- Holds the third-most receptions by a tight end in NFL history, according to thescore.com.
- Has earned 11 Pro Bowl nods and won three Super Bowls over his career, according to thescore.com.
Game Celebration and Personal Milestones
The significant play drew celebratory reactions from the executive suite at Arrowhead Stadium, where Taylor Swift—who married Kelce in a star-studded July ceremony at Madison Square Garden—was joined by Kelce’s brother Jason Kelce and her mother Andrea Swift, according to Yahoo Sports. ESPN cameras captured the group celebrating the third-quarter run, which marked Swift’s first game attendance since the summer wedding, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
When speaking to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge after the game, Kelce downplayed the individual achievement, stating: It’s a good feeling to get this win, all the other stuff is just hoopla now,
according to NFL.com. I had guys blocking for me downfield, man. It’s a beautiful thing when you’ve got the cavalry out in front, man. I’ve just got to find a way to get my ass in the end zone,
Kelce added with a smile, according to ESPN.
Career Background and Future Outlook
Selected 63rd overall out of Cincinnati in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Kelce has spent his entire professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to thescore.com. Last season, the veteran tight end appeared in all 17 regular-season games, recording 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns, with a season-long reception of 44 yards, according to Yahoo Sports and Nbcsports.
After opting against retirement during the offseason and re-signing with Kansas City on a one-year deal, Kelce has entered his 14th NFL season, which has been speculated as potentially his last, according to Yahoo Sports and NFL.com.
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