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Travis Kelce is at the tail end of his illustrious career, but the Kansas City Chiefs don’t seem worried.
Kelce recently restructured his contract with the Chiefs so he’ll make over $34 million over the next two years. And his annual average salary is now the most ever for a tight end in NFL history.
Kelce will turn 35 in October as he enters his 12th season in the NFL. That’s considered a danger zone in sports, especially in football, where the average career lasts three years.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)
It’s tough to blame the Chiefs for shelling out the cash to their most dynamic playmaker, given what he’s done over the years. He set career highs in receptions (110) and touchdowns (12) in 2022.
However, he is on the older side of 30.
But Kelce is clearly a different breed from other tight ends, and former Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis seems confident Father Time won’t catch up to Kelce anytime soon.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce runs by Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo on Nov. 26, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
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“He’s good at taking care of his body. I think it all boils down to how well he takes care of his body and how effective he can be in them winning football games,” Davis told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
Kelce missed Week 1 last season due to a hyperextended knee he suffered in practice two days earlier, and it was his first game missed due to injury since his rookie year in 2013.
Considering the Chiefs were locked into the No. 3 seed in the final week of the season, they rested Kelce Week 18, robbing him of a 1,000-yard season for the first time since 2015 (he was 16 yards short). Considering his 32-355-3 line in four postseason games, it should surprise no one if he made more history next season.
No tight end has ever recorded 1,000 yards at the age of 34. Tony Gonzalez is the only tight end to ever rack up 600-plus yards at that age. He did it twice, with 930 and 859 yards at ages 36 and 37, respectively.
For further context, Jimmy Graham never reached 700 yards after turning 31. Dallas Clark had 1,106 when he was 30, but had just 1,477 in his next four seasons combined. Even Jason Witten’s final 1,000-yard season came at age 30, and he never got past 700 after turning 34.
Rob Gronkowski didn’t even make it to age 35. The retired former New England Patriot turns 35 in two weeks.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates after catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals Jan. 30, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kelce’s deal will take him to age 36, the same age Davis was when he retired. When he was 34 and 35, Davis registered 490 receiving yards in 18 games.
After he turned 30, Gonzalez racked up 7,317 yards. Kelce has 5,723 since his 30th birthday in 48 fewer games played.
The Chiefs will have second-year receiver Rashee Rice in the fold next season, and they drafted Xavier Worthy, the record holder for the fastest 40-yard dash, in the first round.
But there’s nothing quite like “Ol’ Reliable,” and if a two-time Pro Bowl tight end isn’t worried, neither should anyone else.
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