Mahomes wanted his TE to break 1k receiving yards for the 8th straight year
In a recent interview on 610 Sports Radio, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes revealed his efforts to persuade teammate Travis Kelce to play against the Los Angeles Chargers, aiming to maintain Kelce’s impressive streak of 1,000 receiving yards per season since 2016. Despite needing just 16 yards in the final regular-season game to continue the streak, Kelce chose team welfare over personal glory.
“It’s the type of teammate he is – in all honesty, I was trying to force him to play,” Mahomes admitted. His comments reflected a dilemma typically faced by elite athletes: the tug-of-war between personal achievements and the collective needs of the team
Kelce, nursing a neck injury and having missed the season’s first week with a bone bruise, ultimately decided to rest for the Chiefs’ Wild Card matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Mahomes, who also sat out the game against the Chargers, revealed that the team had designed plays to help Kelce reach the milestone safely. “We had some plays for him where we were going to get him open and stay away from contact,” he said.
Kelce chose to get healthy for the playoffs
This decision by Kelce, as Mahomes pointed out, reflects a profound team-first mentality. “He couldn’t do that because he knew it wasn’t about him, it was about the team,” Mahomes added, contrasting this mindset with the recent injury of Detroit Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who was hurt while the Lions played for playoff seeding.
While Kelce’s on-field numbers this season, with 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns, have been his lowest since 2015, his decision to prioritize team success over personal accolades speaks volumes about his values as an athlete.
As the Chiefs prepare for their playoff game against the Dolphins, they do so with a well-rested and team-focused Travis Kelce. His actions, supported by Mahomes’ leadership, serve as a reminder of what’s important to a Chiefs team looking to make a statement.
