Travis Kelce Praises Patrick Mahomes For Chiefs’ Recent Success: ‘I’ve Been Fortunate That 15 Landed Here’

Kelce and Mahomes have played their entire careers in Kansas City, and have emerged as the team’s dynamic duo since Mahomes arrived in 2017

Over the past several years, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have emerged as one of the NFL’s top duos.Ryan Kang/Getty Images
As the Kansas City Chiefs enter their sixth-straight AFC Championship, facing the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is grateful for his quarterback for helping to make it happen.

During a Friday press conference, Kelce praised quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has been a key factor in the Chiefs’ recent success, for his skill and drive.

“I’ve been fortunate that one-five landed here,” Kelce said, referencing Mahomes’s jersey number, 15. “And on top of that [he’s] been willing to grow. Not only with me, but with Coach [Andy] Reid and the offense and trying to build this thing to where it is today.”

Both Kelce and Mahomes have played their entire careers in Kansas City, with Kelce joining the Chiefs in 2013 as a third-rounder and Mahomes joining in 2017 as the 10th overall pick. Since Mahomes’s arrival, the two have emerged as one of Kansas City’s — and the NFL’s — most dynamic duos.

During last week’s Divisional Playoff win at the Buffalo Bills, Kelce and Mahomes set the NFL record for postseason touchdowns by a quarterback-pass catcher duo.

“He’s done what I tried to do year in, year out,” Kelce said. “Answer the bell, answer the challenges that are presented to you and get excited about that.”

Kelce said that Mahomes, who won NFL MVP in 2018 and 2022, has operated with that mentality since his first day as a Chief.