Travis Kelce can still be a major weapon as he closes in on his age-35 season

NFL history shows that it’s not impossible for Kansas City’s tight end to continue to contribute.

For the Kansas City Chiefs’ superstar tight end Travis Kelce, 2023 was a season of both triumph and struggle.

As he was being catapulted into worldwide fame through his podcast (and his highly-publicized romance with pop icon Taylor Swift), he played through a season in which he battled several injuries and watched his statistical production decline.

Kelce missed the season’s opening game due to a bone bruise from a knee hyperextension that he suffered during practice just two days before. In Week 5, he sustained an ankle injury. Although he did not miss another game until he chose to sit out in Week 18, most observers thought Kelce never looked quite the same; it was widely believed he had “lost a step.”

Kelce finished the season with 984 receiving yards, ending his record-smashing streak of 1,000-yard seasons at seven. But following his week off, Kelce returned to his old ways in the playoffs, collecting 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns over four games — and once again playing a key role as the Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl.

In 2024, Kelce will turn 35. What kind of production can we expect from him this season — and how long should we expect him to play?

Hall of Fame tight end production after age 35

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There are nine tight ends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Once he retires, Kelce will undoubtedly join this illustrious group as a first-ballot enshrinee. Just three of these played through the age of 35: former Chief Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe and Jackie Smith.

While he played through his age-38 season, Smith didn’t produce much after he turned 35 in 1975. In any case, his statistics are consistent with the era in which he played. In those days, the running game dominated; a tight end’s main job was to block. So it is best to compare Kelce to his other two Hall of Fame contemporaries.

Even though it was a “down” year for him, Kelce’s 2023 season was more productive than either Gonzalez or Sharpe’s age-34 seasons — in part because he had more targets as a larger part of the Kansas City offense. Across his career, Kelce’s brand of football is also starkly different from how these two Hall of Famers played. The Chiefs frequently align Kelce in the slot. Traditional tight ends tended to be on the line of scrimmage, where they can more easily be used as blockers.

But note that neither Gonzalez or Sharpe’s production dipped after they turned 34. It actually improved in their age-35 seasons — and for Gonzalez, even beyond that.

Still, no tight end older than 34 has finished a season with 1,000 receiving yards — and only three have ever eclipsed 700 yards. (In addition to Sharpe and Gonzalez, Ben Watson had an 825-yard season at 35). Gonzalez’s 930 yards in his age-36 season is the most receiving yards by a tight end in this age range. Kelce will have a legitimate chance at exceeding those numbers this season.

The bottom line

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While quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly the offense’s leader, it hinges on Kelce’s ability in the middle of the field. With the tight end hobbled for at least a portion of the 2023 season — and with the issues at wide receiver — the offense never looked quite right.

While it’s reasonable to be concerned about injuries to a player his age, Kelce has remained remarkably healthy throughout his career. Last season’s Week 1 game was the first he’d missed due to injury since his rookie season in 2013. But since the team has added offensive help in the form of wide receivers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, Kelce should be able to draw less attention from defenses — which could not only help his production but also reduce the wear and tear on his body.

Kelce continues to demonstrate he is a rare breed. He has already far outpaced the norms for production at his age. And while other Hall of Fame tight ends have not played as long into their careers, last season proved Kelce can still be more than an effective contributor. He can still be the weapon in the Kansas City offense.

Some believe that Kelce’s days as the league’s best tight end are coming to an end. But that can’t be predicted solely by his age. History shows he can still be productive in the coming year — and perhaps even beyond that.

When Kelce hangs up his cleats, he’ll probably be considered the greatest tight end of all time. But that’s not happening in 2024 — and it may not happen in 2025, either. Thus far, he’s managed to outrun Father Time. He will strive to stay in the lead — and continue being a key cog in Kansas City’s offensive machine as the team aims for an unprecedented three-peat as Super Bowl champions.