Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has sent a big message to head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes about his playing time ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce are on a mission this year as they aim to guide the Kansas City Chiefs to an unprecedented three-peat in the 2024 NFL season. And the tight end has made it clear he expects to play as much as possible.
With the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens just around the corner, Kelce addressed the media on Tuesday. When asked about the possibility of getting less workload due to his age, the Chiefs star let everyone know he’s expecting to get all the snaps he can.
“I probably wouldn’t listen to them if they did,” Kelce said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN. The three-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs is turning 35 in October, but that’s not an excuse for him to get less playing time.
“You get more comfortable with your body,” Kelce continued. “You learn things from the mistakes you made in years past and things like that. You just constantly keep getting better and keep getting more aware of where your body’s at.“
Travis Kelce already looked upset with Andy Reid about being replaced
Back in February, Kelce gave plenty to talk about due to a controversial situation in Super Bowl LVIII. After being pulled from a play against the San Francisco 49ers, Kelce yelled at Reid as he wanted to stay on the field.
Both the tight end and the coach later downplayed the incident, which continued to make headlines even after the Chiefs’ win at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Now, Kelce, Reid, and Mahomes are looking to go one step further by chasing a third consecutive ring, a feat no team in NFL history has been able to achieve so far.
“I’m excited. I get to play another year of football [with a] fresh slate. Get to kind of prove to ourselves and Chiefs Kingdom that we’re one of the top dogs and we can play at a high level,” Kelce said.
Kelce looking forward to 2024 NFL season with Chiefs
Entering his 12th season in the NFL, Kelce continues to enjoy being part of an organization that gives him and Mahomes the possibility to contend. Even though he’s not getting any younger, the tight end is just as motivated as in any other year.
“I just love coming in here [and] I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” Kelce said. “It gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. [It] gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life and I have so much excitement doing it.
“I’m forever fortunate to be able to play as many games as I’ve played already in this league and that’s why I really enjoy going out there every single day, even if it’s just a practice to really work on my craft. I know not everybody gets that same fortune in their career and I’m ready to rock Week 1 and I’m thankful for it.”
The Chiefs, who have won the last two Super Bowls, will kick off the 2024 NFL season when they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Arrowhead on Thursday. It’s the beginning of yet another exciting year for the core formed by Kelce, Mahomes, and Reid. Will they make it all the way to the promised land again?
