Kelce focused on 'finding ways to win,' not individual stats
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce isn't fretting about his lack of production given that his team remains undefeated.
"I've had a lot of catches in this league, man," Kelce said on Wednesday's episode of the "New Heights" podcast. "I'm not worried about the catches and the yards and all of that. I have the most fun when I get the ball thrown my way. It has everything to do with execution and just making sure that we're doing whatever we can to win these football games."
He added: "We're finding ways to win games and we're not playing our best football. Everybody can clean it up."
The Chiefs are 3-0 to start the season despite Kelce being a less significant factor on the stat sheet. The All-Pro pass-catcher has caught 8 of his 12 targets for 69 yards and zero touchdowns. He posted four catches for 30 yards in Kansas City's win over the Atlanta Falcons last weekend.
Kelce explained that he hasn't gotten many opportunities to make plays downfield to start his 12th season because of opposing defenses.
"I'm not using that as an excuse. Moving forward, still trying to make sure that I can help the team out in that regard, knowing that I've been that weapon for us in the past," Kelce said.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid echoed Kelce's reasoning when asked about the tight end's lack of involvement in the passing game.
"We're calling the plays to throw him the ball, but the defenses are really, really accounting for him," Mahomes said earlier this week, per the Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff. "I mean, some of these plays on these play-actions, I turn around and there's two or three guys looking at him, and it gets other guys open. That's all you can do is take it to whoever is open, and we have to continue to execute."
"Trav is fine. ... He hasn't lost a step," Reid said Wednesday, according to the Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell. "He's not distracted. That's not the case. ... (Defenses) are making sure they have him taken care of."
Kelce named Rashee Rice and rookie running back Carson Steele as teammates he's been happy to see succeed in recent weeks. The Chiefs are tied for seventh in points per game (25) and are averaging 328 total yards per contest.
Mahomes added that he's not concerned about Kelce's numbers because he knows the tight end is "gonna make plays whenever his number is called in big moments," according to Grathoff. The two-time MVP added that opponents will have to adjust their coverage or face the possibility of Rice posting 2,000 yards this season, per Fox 4 Kansas City's Rob Collins.
The Chiefs will look to remain unbeaten Sunday when they play the Los Angeles Chargers (2-1) at SoFi Stadium.