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Nobody in the NFL has more yards after the catch through the first two weeks of the season than Travis Kelce.
That’s not a misprint.
Kelce — a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end turning 37 next month and in his 14th season — has done more damage to defenses after the catch than any other player so far this season.
“He's just still doing it, you know,” Patrick Mahomes said. “He knows how to get open, and he can make guys miss. So for him to go out there and make the plays that he made in the big moments of the game, that's who he's always been.”
BIG YETI FINDS THE END ZONE 🏹 pic.twitter.com/JifVMyhigu
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 21, 2026
Against Denver in Monday’s season-opener, Kelce had three catches for 71 yards — including a 59-yard catch-and-run, which ranks as the sixth-longest pass play in the NFL this season.
He topped that Sunday in an overtime win against Indianapolis with nine catches for 101 yards — including a 13-yard touchdown that birthed one of the internet’s great new memes when his wife, Taylor Swift, jumped to her feet and pointed to her wedding ring while shouting “That’s my husband” as he scored.
Karma is her guy on the Chiefs 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/2uAk9ditdb
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 21, 2026
Of his 172 receiving yards this season, 129 have come after the catch. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson (118) and Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (114) are the only other players with more than 100 yards after the catch.
“He's defeating Father Time, man,” Chris Jones said. “Still going at it, and he's still coming out and being productive for us as a team, still bringing the energy, bringing the swag. Kelce is Kelce, man. He could be doing this till he's 45. I don't know if he will, but yeah, he could be doing this till he's 45.”
But wait, there’s more: Kelce also set the all-time NFL record for career yards after the catch, a distinction that typifies his Hall of Fame career. Kelce (6,288) moved ahead of Marshall Faulk (6,230), the only two players ever to top 6,000 yards after the catch.
“I guess Kels set another record,” Andy Reid said. “He hangs around long enough, he's going to have them all, man.”
Kelce also extended his own record with his 39th career 100-yard game, seven more than Rob Gronkowski (32) for the most by a tight end in NFL history.
He also tied Gronkowski with his 27th career game with 100-plus yards and a touchdown.
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