The superstar tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs has done it all. That on-the-field success has parlayed into a lucrative podcasting gig, acting jobs, endorsements and more. Throughout this push for an unprecedented three-peat of Super Bowl championships, Kelce has alluded many times to being toward the end of his career and savoring the moment just a bit more.
Super Bowl LIX will mark his fifth title appearance in 12 seasons in the league. Even coming off a relatively down year β most tight ends would covet a season with 97 catches for yards and three touchdowns, such are the standards Kelce has set for himself β the longtime Chief is showing up when it matters most.
His game against the Houston Texans in the divisional round β seven catches for yards and a touchdown β was the kind of classic Kelce game that Kansas City fans have come to expect in big moments.
In his career, Kelce has catches β the most playoff catches in NFL history β for more than 2, yards and 20 touchdowns in his 24 playoff games, cementing himself as one of the best big-game players of the last decade. Whenever the time comes, Kelce has already accomplished what he wanted to do in this game β even if those goals have evolved during his career. After days of letting the good times roll, Kelce and some of his teammates got called into random drug testing by the NCAA. He tested positive for marijuana and was suspended for a full calendar year, a devastating blow that arguably seems harsh 15 years down the road.
With that suspension behind him, Kelce turned himself into one of the best tight ends to ever play the game. The Mahomes-to-Kelce combination is a part of NFL playoff lore at this point, and the stuff of nightmares for defenses. In his game postseason career, Kelce has gone over receiving yards nine times. Those guys have been together for a really long time, so just really all credit to the work that those guys put in all year long.
