The Kansas City Chiefs pulled away in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium on “Monday Night Football,” turning a 7-7 halftime tie into a 28-7 victory over the Washington Commanders.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished 25 of 34 for 299 yards and three second-half touchdown passes, one of which went to star tight end Travis Kelce, who finished with six catches for 99 yards and a 10-yard score.
Kelce’s touchdown not only extended the Chiefs’ lead late in the third quarter, but it was also his 80th career regular-season receiving touchdown, making him just the fifth player in NFL history to hit that mark, joining Antonio Gates, Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, and Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez.
It was also his 83rd career touchdown in Kansas City, tying Priest Holmes for the franchise record for most career TDs in team history.
After the game, Kelce spoke with “SportsCenter’s” Scott Van Pelt about his historic performance.
“I just cherish these moments, coming out here being able to play in front of Chiefs Kingdom, and at Arrowhead…this place is special,” Kelce said.
“… I grew up watching that guy with Tony Gonzalez. Even when I came here to Kansas City, I wanted to watch some film on what these guys were all about. What's the Kingdom really have in terms of the history. And I watched that guy go and go and go. It was amazing to see just from the football views of how great that man was. To be in his company, or even to be up here in Kansas City, playing in the same jersey he played in, it's an absolute honor.”
Kelce now has 37 receptions for 474 yards and two touchdowns on the season, which ranks him second in yardage among all NFL tight ends, behind only Indianapolis Colts rookie Tyler Warren (37 catches for 492 receiving yards and three TDs).
Mahomes, meanwhile, moves up to 2,099 passing yards (2nd in the NFL) and a league-leading 17 passing touchdowns, along with just four interceptions and a 67% completion rate.
Kelce’s Hall of Fame career now sits at 12,625 receiving yards, which ranks 25th all-time among receivers and third all-time among tight ends, behind only Gonzalez and Dallas Cowboys legend Jason Witten.
Monday’s win moves the Chiefs to 5-3 on the season, having now won five of the last six games after an 0-2 start.
Rashee Rice’s return from suspension has added another threat to the offense, finishing with nine catches for 93 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Commanders, but it’s clear that this team still runs through Kelce and Mahomes.
Next up for Kansas City comes the Buffalo Bills in Week 9, one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, followed by a Week 11 contest against the Denver Broncos at Mile High and a home game against the Colts in Week 12.
Those difficult matchups will test whether the Chiefs can sustain this momentum and retake their position atop the AFC.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.