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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is one of the most dominant tight ends ever to play in the NFL. However, as he prepares for what could be the final season of his NFL career, it's pretty clear that he isn't the same player he once was.
Throughout his career, Kelce has been one of the most dominant and consistent pass-catching tight ends in the history of the NFL and a favorite target for Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Despite this, Kelce had a disappointing performance last season by his standards, putting up career-low numbers in every major receiving statistic, including yards per reception, yards after the catch, and total receiving touchdowns, while seeing his average depth of target decline significantly, as well.
It's not just the stats that have fallen off, either; NFL scouts have noticed a "physical decline" on film.
One veteran pro personnel evaluator recently told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that he has seen a noticeable dropoff in Kelce's physical ability.
"For sure [he showed] signs of physical decline, but you still have to worry about him because he's such a smart player with a great connection with the QB. Just doesn't get open like he used to," the scout told Fowler.
While Kelce himself admits that he didn't perform up to his standard last season, he also made it pretty clear that he still thinks he's capable of performing well, despite this assessment from the scout.
"I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year," Kelce said after announcing his decision to return for one more season. "I don't think it was my best outing, you know? I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I've been in years past. You know, I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth about how I ended the year and how well I was playing, and how accountable I was for the people around me."
We'll have to see whether or not Kelce can prove this critical scout wrong.
Travis Kelce Shows Signs of 'Physical Decline' first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 14, 2025
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