There’s been a handful of great quarterback-tight end duos in the NFL, but few come close to the dominance that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce impose when they’re on the field together. At this point in their careers, it’s no secret that number 87 is Mahomes’ go-to target. In Sunday’s matchup against the Chargers, the two made more history, placing them as one of the best combos in NFL history.
Mahomes and Kelce hooked up in the first half for their 50th touchdown connection, the fourth-most by a QB-TE duo.
Mahomes finished Week 7, completing 32 of 42 passes for 424 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. While Kelce finished with an incredible performance, catching 12 throws for 179 yards and a score. The veteran tight end has tallied more than 1,000 receiving yards every year since 2016 and has at least 1,100 yards since Mahomes became the starter two years later.
Now a ten-year vet, Kelce has been a large part of the Chiefs offense, pre-dating Mahomes. While time can play a role in players’ development, head coach Andy Reid told reporters after the game that the success Mahomes and Kelce are having is a tribute to his coaching staff.
“I think both he and Pat [Mahomes] are on the same page – that’s a challenge for defenses,” he began. “I know they work on it. This isn’t a secret. So, they’re working on those things. That’s when I say [Offensive Coordinator] Matt [Nagy] and [Pass Game Coordinator] Joe [Bleymaier], all the guys that are involved in that passing game [and] putting things together; it’s quite a tribute to the coaches and then for those two going out there and executing like they do.”
Mahomes acknowledged that Kelce’s been better at noticing defensive coverages and when to adjust off his route and give his quarterback a spot to throw, too – something we see almost every time the offense is on the field.
“I think the way [Travis Kelce] can recognize coverages is probably even better. I mean, he’s played against every single team and every coverage and every way to try to take him away, so he’s able to recognize that and dissect it on the fly,” Mahomes explained. “Younger Trav would’ve scored on that one touchdown, I’ll say that. But other than that, I think he’s doing a great job of finding ways to get himself open and having these monster games.”
Having a guy like Kelce that knows what the defense is doing and adlibs during the play to keep it alive makes for a substantial competitive advantage few teams can stop. But Mahomes explains that communication plays a role in knowing when Kelce will improvise.
“It’s hard to say because even though it’s not technically scripted the way, we talk about it throughout the week,” Mahomes told reporters. “If you look at the one where I throw it in the middle of the field right between people, we kind of discussed like if that guy flies out, just be in that window, and I’m going to throw it. I think by practicing it and doing it in practice; I have confidence he’s going to do it in the game. I always joke around with him. I’m like, ‘Man, just take a rep off in practice,’ but he doesn’t want to; he wants to be out there all the time. He understands how important it is to build that chemistry, and that’s what makes him so great.
