Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is clearly no stranger to playing in AFC Championship Games, having played in each of the last five.
And yet, despite entering his sixth AFC title game this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, Kelce isn’t treating this like it’s just another appearance. If anything, he’s treating it like it’s his first.
“I’m not thinking about a single one I already accomplished,” Kelce said during the team’s press conference on Friday. “I’m thinking about this one on Sunday, and I want it more than I’ve ever wanted one in my life.”
Maybe this one is most important for Kelce because he’s 34 years old, approaching the “wind-down” stage of his career. Or maybe it’s because 2023 was his most challenging season yet, battling injuries while finishing under 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2015.
Really, though, it’s mostly just Kelce appreciating the fact that he’s still able to play this game at a high level with a group that he’s so close to.
“There’s just certain things that give you challenges in life that you just have to be appreciative that you’re getting tested because not everybody gets those opportunities,” Kelce said. “Especially when you get to do it with a group of men and women that you can rally together with and prove to yourselves what you’re made of.”
Those sound like the words of a man who’s ready to put it all on the line to win on Sunday. And Kelce surely knows how to bring it this time of year, too: In five AFC Championship Games, Kelce has 36 receptions for 344 yards and five touchdowns. Don’t be surprised if Kelce fights to earn another big showing Sunday as he and the Chiefs try for their third title in five years.
For Kelce, it’s about doing it for a team that has dealt with adversity all year. “The different challenges we’ve had this year, the type of team that we have, the camaraderie we have in that locker room,” Kelce said. “I want it for the guys next to me. It’s a good feeling, but we’ve got to get the job done.”
