OVERVIEW
In high school, Kelce was a three sport star, but his best sport was always football. He was a three-year letter winner at quarterback, and earned All-Lake Erie League honors after totaling 2,539 yards of total offense and 31 total touchdowns as a senior. Kelce’s uncle Don Blalock played football at Purdue and grandfather Don Blalock played football at Ohio. Travis is the younger brother of former Cincinnati Bearcats and current Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
In his first year on campus, Travis redshirted. In his redshirt freshman year, Kelce participated in 11 games as the tight end. He caught one pass for three yards. Kelce also played some quarterback, strictly in a Wildcat role. He logged eight carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Kelce did not play in 2010, as he was suspended for a violation of team rules. Upon his return in 2011, Kelce caught 13 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. In his senior season, Kelce put himself on the NFL prospect map, as he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and eight touchdowns. He was selected to the All-Big East first team for his play.
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS Kelce has an ideal tight end frame. Athletic for his size, with great strength, and the ability to stretch the field vertically. Very physical run blocker, generates power from the lower half, and will move defenders off the ball. Plays with leverage. Wide catching radius, can adjust and make the difficult catch. Tough to bring down after the catch. Light feet, and has lined up in numerous different positions.
WEAKNESSES Suspended for an entire season for violating team rules. Only one season of production. Doesn't have blazing speed. Not a tremendously explosive athlete. Doesn't come out of his breaks all that well.
NFL COMPARISON Rob Gronkowski
BOTTOM LINE Kelce has been a tremendous run blocker throughout his career for the Bearcats, but really elevated his game as a receiver in his senior season. He isn't a tremendous athlete, but he does a lot of things very well. It's a deep tight end class, but Kelce's play suggests that he should be highly sought after. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
This makes me sad. Love the guy but the end is near. I really wouldn't be surprised if tho sis his last year. If he comes back then next year will for sure be his last.
"This is the last great year of Travis Kelce." ��@ByNateTaylor tells @jbbrisco and @RealMNchiefsfan that he believes the future Hall of Fame TE is winding down.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
He's old, yes, but when you're this great, you can find ways to gain temporary ground against aging.
He might retire after this year, sure. I'm just saying don't be surprised if he not only decides to keep playing multiple seasons but ends up stringing together a couple more pretty good years before calling it quits.
This. Travis has basically 1,000 yards this year as literally our only weapon until the emergence of Rice.
Put a couple other WRs on the field that teams have to fear, then see if Kelce is washed or not. Maybe his yardage declines but he suddenly becomes a TD machine.
Tony G played another 5 years on strength and guile. Witten came out of booth and wasn't terrible. Tight end is one of those positions you can reinvent yourself even after losing your fastball. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
He's old, yes, but when you're this great, you can find ways to gain temporary ground against aging.
He might retire after this year, sure. I'm just saying don't be surprised if he not only decides to keep playing multiple seasons but ends up stringing together a couple more pretty good years before calling it quits.
I think you're right. Gonzalez was productive in his mid / late 30's. Like #88, Kelce takes care of himself. If KC gets better WR's, it will benefit Kelce and increase the chances that he'll be productive going forward. [Reply]
I think, at this point, it's really all about what Kelce wants. Dude has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do and makes him happy.
That said, I think Mahomes and MaAuto are paying particularly close attention to what the Chiefs do this off season. If the Chiefs go out and sign a legit WR and spend another high draft pick on another bigtime WR or TE, I think Kelce would be back for another run at it, regardless of how this season ends.
But it's up to him at this point. Will be happy for him either way. [Reply]
I think Kelce has dealt with nagging injuries as much as any year of his career but his first.
Remember the Chiefs were worried Kelce would be out for the year with a knee injury before week 1. I think that injury needs cleaned up in the off-season. Also had the ankle injury in the Vikings game.
It may be an unlucky year injury wise but that's what happens when you get older. Chiefs need to act as if he's retiring and go scorched Earth on weapons this Spring [Reply]
We're gonna need Kelce to be Kelce against the Bills at their place to win. We need Travis to make his 1st playoff appearance of the season in that game. Today was not nearly good enough.
If the trident of Mahomes, Kelce and Rice show their true level and the defense plays the way they've played all season, we beat them. [Reply]
That's all he needs to tie Jerry Rice for postseason receiving stats. Records that many thought could never be broken. Nobody came anywhere close in 20 seasons since he retired.
