Travis Kelce Joins Jerry Rice in Historic Territory - Even Without Mahomes
The Kansas City Chiefs have been dealt a brutal blow. With Patrick Mahomes sidelined for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL and LCL, the team’s playoff hopes were officially dashed before they even took the field against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16. But amid the disappointment came a moment of history - and it belonged to Travis Kelce.
Let’s set the scene: no Mahomes, no postseason, and Gardner Minshew stepping in under center. Minshew did what he could early, targeting Kelce three times in the first half. But those passes fell incomplete, and the Chiefs’ offense looked like a unit searching for answers.
Then came another twist. Minshew went down with an injury in the second quarter, forcing third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun into action. The moment wasn’t just big for Oladokun - it turned into a milestone for Kelce.
With 8:28 left in the second quarter, Oladokun completed a six-yard pass to Kelce. It was the first completion of his NFL career.
For Kelce, it was much more than that. That catch pushed him over 800 receiving yards on the season - marking the 12th straight year he’s hit that number.
Twelve consecutive seasons of 800 or more receiving yards. That’s not just longevity - it’s legendary. And it puts Kelce in rare air alongside one of the greatest to ever do it: Jerry Rice.
Rice hit that 800-yard mark in each of his first 12 seasons, starting as a rookie in 1985 and continuing through 1996. An injury-shortened 1997 season briefly interrupted the streak, but Rice came back the next year and reeled off another six straight seasons of 800-plus yards. That’s the kind of company Kelce just joined.
What makes Kelce’s latest milestone even more impressive is how he got there. No Mahomes.
No rhythm with the backup quarterback. And yet, when his team needed a spark, he still delivered - just like he has for over a decade.
Kelce entered the Titans game with 67 catches, 797 yards, and five touchdowns on the season. The six-yard grab from Oladokun was his first of the day, but it was enough to etch his name into the history books once again.
And it served as a reminder: Kelce’s greatness isn’t tied to any one quarterback. He’s a force in his own right.
Asked about the milestone earlier this season - when he tied the franchise record for total touchdowns - Kelce kept it grounded, as always.
“In terms of the historical stuff, I’m still looking at the next game and the next catch and trying to get better,” he said. “I’m just the old, lucky dog still able to do this thing, man.
I’m putting on the pads like I’m 15 years old again. I’m loving every single bit of it.”
That mindset - part humility, part hunger - is what’s fueled Kelce’s remarkable run. And while his contract is set to expire after this season, there’s still a chance he returns in 2026 and breaks the tie with Rice. If he does, the record would be his alone.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, still have two games left to close out the season: a Christmas Day matchup at home against the Denver Broncos, followed by a road trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18.
It’s unfamiliar territory for Kansas City - a season ending without a playoff berth, Mahomes on the sideline, and questions looming about what’s next. But even in the midst of all that, Travis Kelce continues to show why he’s one of the greatest tight ends the game has ever seen.