The 2024 season won’t stand as Travis Kelce’s best as his career slowly inches toward the end. But in the playoffs, defenses know better than to ignore him.
One of the best playoff performers ever regardless of position, the Chiefs star overpowered the Texans in Saturday’s divisional round win, taking a step toward history in the process.
Kelce isn’t the fastest player on the field by any means, but Houston still had a hard time getting him to the ground in an otherwise solid defensive performance. On a day in which very little came easily for Kansas City’s offense, Kelce was near-automatic when targeted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Here’s a look at Kelce’s stats and highlights from the No. 1 seed Chiefs’ 23-14 win over the No. 4 seed Texans.
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Travis Kelce stats vs. Texans
- Targets: 8
- Catches: 7
- Rec. yards: 117
- TD: 1
- Y/R: 16.7
Kelce exploded for 117 yards and a touchdown on seven catches in the victory, hauling in all but one of his eight targets.
Naturally, Kelce’s 117 yards exceeded his single-game total from any of the Chiefs’ regular season games. He only reached the 100-yard mark once on his way to the lowest yardage total of any full season in his career. But playoff Kelce is a different animal entirely.
“You know 87 is gonna show up,” Mahomes said after the game. “Everybody’s asking where’s Travis Kelce at, I think he showed the world where he’s at.”
Kelce had a huge 49-yard reception, setting up a Kareem Hunt touchdown, and he caught a touchdown pass from a diving Mahomes early in the fourth quarter. That catch brought Kelce within two touchdowns of the all-time playoff record of 22, held by Jerry Rice.
Kelce also took a major step toward the all-time playoff receiving yard record, crossing the 2,000-yard mark and moving within 225 yards of Rice.
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Travis Kelce highlights vs. Texans
Travis Kelce rumbles for 49 yards!
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/dKYyXKnOZ5— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
Travis Kelce has his 9th career 100-yard game in the postseason, the most in NFL history 👏
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/OzdBqte03j— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
MAHOMES TD TO KELCE AS HE FALLS DOWN
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ytEUsoGyin— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
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