The Kansas City Chiefs boast weapons all over the field, but it's fair to say none might be more important than Travis Kelce.
The athletic, play-making tight end finished second in the NFL in receiving yards, tied for fifth in total touchdowns and landed fifth in total receptions in 2020. He led his burner of a teammate Tyreek Hill in every category but touchdowns, and exceeded the receiving yardage marks of every receiver not named Stefon Diggs.
He's good -- very good -- and fellow stellar tight end Rob Gronkowski believes Kelce is "the best player on the Chiefs' offense."
"One thing that's very intriguing about Travis Kelce, and I've never really seen this with any other player in the NFL ever before, is that Kelce gets better every single year that I've seen him play in the NFL," Gronkowski explained, via the Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell.
Statistically, Gronkowski isn't wrong. Kelce has been as steady as ever from 2016-2020, breaking 1,000 receiving yards, scoring at least four TDs and making the Pro Bowl in each season. This campaign was his best, with Kelce setting career-high marks in receiving yards, yards per reception and receiving touchdowns.
Kelce occupies the middle of the field in ways that is only now becoming a leading approach to utilizing the tight end position. Fellow AFC West-rival Las Vegas attempts to do something similar with Darren Waller, but Kelce's experience and fit within Kansas City's offense remains unrivaled at this point.
"What he has done for the position of the tight end, I can only have respect for that," Gronkowski said, via team writer Scott Smith. "What's most impressive about him is that he gets better year-in and year-out and that's rare to see."
Kelce was similarly praiseworthy of Gronkowski in his media availability Monday, gushing about the Bucs TE's "dominance," longevity and ability to overcome adversity and calling himself "one of the biggest Gronk fans out there." But the Chiefs tight end added that, when he hits the field Sunday, the matchup between him and Gronk will be "personal."
"I've never beaten Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady in a playoff situation, and I'm very aware of that," Kelce said. "The AFC Championship Game from a couple years ago has fueled me to be more accountable for my teammates, to be better out there on the field when it's needed the most in the playoffs. With that being said, I feel this game is another opportunity for me to get a tally on the board in the W column, trying to get a win in this so-called rivalry that the media likes to make it."
Tampa Bay is acutely aware of the threat Kelce poses in Super Bowl LV, especially after the tight end scored seven touchdowns between the 2019 and 2020 postseasons -- including one in Super Bowl LIV. Defensive assistants praised him during Monday's press conferences and defensive starters didn't shy from the importance of his role.
"We're going to try everything," linebacker Devin White said in reference to attempting to slow Kelce, via FOX 4's Harold R. Kuntz.
Kelce is just one of several high-flying weapons operating in Kansas City's league-leading offense. The Buccaneers will have their hands full, no doubt, but as White said, it will still come down to the same individual battle that always wins or loses football games.
"It really don't matter who's playing," White said. "We have to win our one-on-ones, you're going to try to whoop the man in front of you."
We'll see who does the whooping between Kelce and Buccaneers defenders on Sunday.
