Travis Kelce Falls Short of Reaching 1,000-Yard Receiving Mark for 2023 Season
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce fell just 16 yards short of reaching the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the 2023 season, bringing an end to his streak of seven consecutive seasons hitting that milestone.
But it wasn’t for lack of effort.
Tight end Travis Kelce with quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the Los Angeles Chargers game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Patrick Mahomes revealed that he tried to convince Kelce to play in the Chiefs’ season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers and reach the 1,000-yard mark. However, Kelce was deactivated to rest for the playoffs, as the Chiefs are set to face the Miami Dolphins in the first round.
“It’s the type of teammate he is – in all honesty I was trying to force him to play,” said Mahomes during his appearance on 610 Sports Radio. “I knew he was going to try not to play because he wanted to be about the team and not about himself. I was trying to force him all the way up until game time, and then he said, ‘No, that’s not who I am. I don’t want to play for those reasons. I want to get myself rested and healthy for the playoffs.'”
Patrick Mahomes leads the Kansas City Chiefs out of the tunnel before the Los Angeles Chargers game at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 7, 2024. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Mahomes’ Attempt to Help Kelce Reach the Milestone
Mahomes revealed that the Chiefs had special plays prepared to help Kelce reach the 1,000-yard mark, but Kelce refused to participate in anything like that and was determined not to play for those reasons.
Kelce had been dealing with a neck injury and was limited in practice leading up to the Chargers game. However, as of Tuesday, he was not listed on the injury report.
Travis Kelce of the Chiefs runs onto the field for the Cincinnati Bengals game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 31, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Looking Ahead to the Playoffs
The Chiefs will face the Miami Dolphins in their playoff matchup at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night. The game is expected to be played in single-digit temperatures.
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