Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has done it again, breaking another NFL pace record.
With 28 yards against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, Kelce has officially reached 9,000 career receiving yards in just his 127th game played. That’s quicker than Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski, who previously held the record at 140 career games. Kelce now becomes one of just six tight ends to ever have 9,000 or more receiving yards in his career, joining Rob Gronkowski (9,149), Shannon Sharpe (9,961), Antonio Gates (11,841), Jason Witten (13,046) and Tony Gonzalez (15,127). Gronk is the only other active player from that list.
The crazy thing about all of this is that Kelce sat out his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. Had that not been the case, he could have reached 9,000 career receiving yards even sooner.
Kelce has seen a pretty prolific season in 2021, earning his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection and his sixth consecutive 1000-yard receiving season. He also earned his first-ever AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. During last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Kelce also reached 700 career catches, becoming just the seventh tight end in NFL history to do so. He accomplished the feat quicker than any other tight end in NFL history, ousting former Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten.
With that reception, TE Travis Kelce recorded his 700th career catch. He is the 7th TE in NFL history to reach 700 career receptions, and accomplishes the feat in 126 games, besting Jason Witten's previous mark of 145 games to reach 700.
— Chiefs Communications (@ChiefsPR) January 2, 2022
Kelce’s 9000 receiving yard wasn’t the only record he captured on Saturday. He also scored his 57th career touchdown, which is tied for No. 2 in franchise history with former Chiefs WR Otis Taylor.
In his ninth NFL season, Kelce is showing no signs of slowing down. There’s no reason to believe that he won’t be able to continue crushing NFL records moving forward as he builds up his resume for what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career.
