Patrick Mahomes on Travis Kelce: “I think the greats step up in the playoffs,” Mahomes said. “It’s just higher intensity and the best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays. He’s done that and I expect the same from him going into this playoffs.”

In 2023, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s production dipped during the regular season and he faced questions about whether he was no longer the same kind of player he’d been throughout his career.

Kelce rested in Week 18 and returned to lead the league in postseason catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as the Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second straight season. Kelce’s production took another step down in 2024, which raised another round of questions about his level of play despite being part of the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

The Chiefs rested Kelce again in Week 18 this season and quarterback Patrick Mahomes said at a Tuesday press conference that he expects that to to be the springboard for another big postseason.

“I think the greats step up in the playoffs,” Mahomes said. “It’s just higher intensity and the best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays. He’s done that and I expect the same from him going into this playoffs.”

There’s little reason to doubt Mahomes and Kelce given all they’ve done together and that leaves little reason to think the Chiefs can’t make a run at a third straight title in the coming weeks.