Kelce hoping to break constraints of playing for small-market team

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has the production of an NFL superstar - 70 catches for 916 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games - but rarely gets the kind of national attention that other players at his position do, such as Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham.

On PFT live on Friday, Kelce said that his lower profile is a reality of playing in a small market like Kansas City, and players in his position are at a financial disadvantage.

"I talk to my manager about that a lot and it is what it is," Kelce said, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "I mean it kind of played a part in terms of branching out into the TV world for me. It's one of those things where you just kind of, you come out of the draft, you just want to be as marketable as possible I think.

"That's one of the things about the NFL is that you have small-market teams, big-market teams. I feel like the bigger market teams do kind of have an advantage in terms of off-the-field money. I think when you have big-time businesses around that want to be part of the sports community and the athletic community it's a huge advantage in the bigger markets. So without a doubt."

Kelce has posted four straight 100-yard games, and would set an NFL record if he's able to hit that mark again in Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans.

It's those kinds of numbers that will likely put Kelce in with a shot at being on the cover of the next Madden video game. The tight end would even risk the infamous Madden curse - with Gronkowski appearing to be its latest victim after a season-ending back injury - to hold the honor.

"You know what, that's a scary thing to even talk about," Kelce said. "I hope Rob comes back stronger than ever and ready to take on the league but man that's definitely been something that as a kid you always dreamed of being on the cover of a video game or something like that. (But) it seems the curse is alive and it's a scary thing.”