Why is Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce struggling? Quarterback Patrick Mahomes answers

The reigning Super Bowl champions have a plethora of weapons at their disposal which is undoubtedly why they look to be a good bet to make a serious run at what would be a historic three-peat. Yet, not all of those weapons are firing precisely and the team’s quarterback may have a point about why that is.

Patrick Mahomes addresses Travis Kelce’s lack of production

As you likely know by now, the Kansas City Chiefs moved to 3-0 on Sunday night after defeating the Atlanta Falcons 22-17. It was another solid performance from the apparent team to beat in the league but it was surprisingly yet another night in which star tight end Travis Kelce did not perform well. Indeed, Kelce was only able to register four catches to the tune of 30 yards while failing to find the end zone for what is now the third straight game.

You may recall that the 34-year-old caught only one pass for five yards in the Chiefs’ dramatic Week 2 win over the Bengals. To be clear Kelce has just 69 total receiving yards for the season so far, meaning he’s a far cry from the player we’ve seen decimating defenses over the past few seasons. Yet, it appears that the Chiefs aren’t panicking and least of all the team’s man under center, quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Speaking with the media, the two-time MVP alluded to the idea that it’s not about Kelce’s failure but rather the increased level of attention that defenses around the league are giving him.

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“It’s crazy because the respect factor teams have for Travis is unreal, and it’s well-deserved,” Mahomes said. “We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three [defenders] are going to him. That’s the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game but he wants to win at the end of the day. I’m going to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he’s there, whenever he’s open. I think the more Rashee [Rice] makes plays, the more we’re able to run the football, the more we can get [Xavier] Worthy involved, I think that’s going to open Travis up more. People are really emphasizing taking him away and that’s getting other guys open.”

Ultimately, the Chiefs don’t yet have reason to be concerned. As stated at the start of this, the team currently sits at 3-0 and has been improving each week. Next up for Kelce and Co. is a Week 4 dance with the Los Angeles Chargers in LA. For context, the Chargers are a team that Kelce has enjoyed a great deal of success when playing against them throughout his career. Add the fact that the Chargers have serious injury concerns and we’ve got all the likelihood that the Chiefs’ TE will get back to doing what he does best. Kick-off is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 29th. Don’t miss it!