(Photo: The Ringer
Football is a lot different now than it was 15 or 20 years ago. The nature of the game changes and I can say the guys who were hard-hitting players wouldn’t last too long in today’s league because there’s less hitting nowadays. These last few years, I’ve been saying that positions are also changing these days and one of those positions I always find myself bringing up is Tight End. Back then, they were used as additional blockers and caught the ball in short-yardage situations or the red zone. Now, you see them lined up as additional Wide Receivers, they can screen passes and some are even running jet sweeps. When you speak about the position today, Travis Kelce is the first name you immediately bring up. The Chiefs have made their star Tight End the highest-paid at his position. He’s signed a two-year extension worth $34 million.
Travis is the best playing the position now and if there’s someone better than him, don’t be afraid or hesitant to let me know that name who you think is better. There are certain guys I reference this song with and he’s become one of them. In the words of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, “What More Can I Say”? The first thing I take away from his game is the IQ he comes with to the field. He knows exactly where to be and how to position himself to make a catch. Next, it’s the physical standpoint meaning he can use his body as a shield to make a play on the football. To go back to how smart he is, Travis has a way of luring defenders in as if he’s going to make a block, then he’s sneaking behind the coverage and Patrick is connecting with him and the chains move. I said this last Summer and in previous years before as I’ve referred to him as the “Dirk Nowitzki” of the NFL and just as the NBA Hall of Famer did on the court with being a bigger guy that can shoot the basketball, Travis does the things a Wide Receiver can do in the body of a Tight End which is why I’ve labeled him that. He knows how to move and maneuver in space whether it’s running his route or even with the football in his hands. Travis has a knack for putting that foot down to cut on a dime, pretending he’s running one way and he’s running in the opposite direction. His ability to read coverages is outstanding as he can identify zone coverage sit comfortably in the zone and make the catch. It’s almost as if you know he’s getting the ball and there’s no answer to stop or limit his production. It’s the mix of IQ and athleticism that makes him so lethal for any defense to defend him.
He’s one of the five greatest to play the position and the Chiefs just know how to produce quality Tight Ends as the greatest I’ve seen in my humble opinion played for the Chiefs and that’s Tony Gonzalez. The bigger the game, the better Travis has been and a perfect example of that is the playoffs this past season. He made big-time catches against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round and had himself quite the day against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship. His resume speaks for itself, He’s a nine-time pro bowler, a first-team All-Pro selection, and a three-time Super Bowl champion. He and Patrick Mahomes have easily been the best Quarterback/Tight End duo I’ve seen since Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
