The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have near the offensive season we are used to seeing from them under Andy Reid, with Patrick Mahomes slinging the rock. In fact, it was by far the worst offense we have seen in this era. But, through resilience, a great defense, and some outstanding, heroic efforts by Mahomes, the Chiefs were able to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
That bad offensive season was one of the few reasons superstar tight end Travis Kelce didn’t extend his streak of seven consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards to eight, the most ever. But he was close, and that doesn’t mean he is any less than he was last year. Kelce still has a lot of juice left in the tank and had the offense has been better and less stagnant last season; I think we would have seen that streak extended.
Travis Kelce’s potential comeback in the 2024 season is not just a matter of personal opinion. It’s a belief shared by Pro Football Focus and the Chiefs organization. Here’s what PFF had to say about the legendary tight end:
Kelce’s regular-season numbers from a season ago look mediocre for his standards, but he turned it up a notch in the playoffs. The star amassed 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the Chiefs’ four playoff games, catalyzing the team’s second straight Super Bowl run. Just knowing Kelce’s pedigree, there’s almost no chance he finishes below 1,000 yards for a second consecutive season, even if he’s over 34. Plus, with major questions about the Chiefs’ receiver room — potentially without Rashee Rice to start the year and ushering in a rookie in Xavier Worthy — Patrick Mahomes could default to relying on his security net that much more.
With the arrival of new offensive weapons in Xavier Worthy, the rookie they traded up for in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and Hollywood Brown, whom they signed as a free agent, the Chiefs’ offense is poised for a significant improvement. The addition of these talented players instills a sense of hope and optimism for the upcoming season. A stronger offense enhances the team’s overall performance and alleviates the pressure on Kelce.
With other weapons, teams can not focus on Kelce as much. Last season, we saw teams be able to focus solely on Kelce because mostly no one trusted the other players on the Chiefs to beat them. And that’s fair. But, because of how the offense will operate in 2024, with likely much more of a deep threat than last year, Kelce can have a comeback season.
