Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce is already among the greatest tight ends ever, and he’s on the cusp of making his resume even crazier. He’s tied for the seventh-most receptions in NFL history right now with Tim Brown, sitting at 1,094 catches. Just one more grab from Patrick Mahomes puts him alone at seventh, but the real talk is about cracking the top five this week.
Kelce Stares Down History While The Raiders Stand In The Way
So, how close is he to the top five? Cris Carter is currently holding down the sixth spot with 1,101 receptions, which is only seven more than Kelce. Right above him at number five is Marvin Harrison with 1,102 receptions, just eight more than Kelce has right now. That means if Kelce hauls in nine catches against the Raiders, he slides right into fifth place all-time, all by himself. He could literally jump multiple spots in one game, which is wild to think about.
But here’s the kicker: The Chiefs are facing the 3-0 Las Vegas Raiders, and their pass defense is no joke. The Raiders are tied for the sixth-fewest completions allowed in the league, giving up only 59 so far this season. Will that defense be enough to slow down a guy chasing history? We’ll see.
The Veteran’s Pace And The Climb To Fourth All-Time
Kelce’s season started a little quieter, but he quickly ramped up. In Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, he had two receptions on two targets. Then in Week 2, he exploded for nine receptions on 11 targets against the Indianapolis Colts. Last week, in Week 3 versus the Denver Broncos, he snagged three more balls on five targets. That’s a total of 14 receptions across three wins, averaging 4.6 catches per game.
If he keeps up that 4.6 receptions per game average, he’s looking at passing Cris Carter in Week 5 and Marvin Harrison in Week 6. But let’s be real, Kelce is a veteran playmaker and could easily have a massive game any given Sunday, getting those historic receptions way earlier.
Looking further down the road, if Kelce plays all 17 games this season and maintains his 4.6 catches per game average, he’d finish the year with 78 receptions. That would put his career total at 1,172, which would still keep him at number five all-time. To reach Jason Witten at number four, who has 1,228 receptions, Kelce needs another 134 catches. His career high in a single year is 110 receptions, and his 17-game average is 95 catches a year. If he keeps playing at a similar level in 2027, he’d probably pass Witten sometime next season. At 36 years old and in his 14th season, it wouldn’t be a shock if he hangs up the cleats relatively soon, but before he does, he’s clearly got more history to make.
So, keep your eyes glued to the Chiefs-Raiders game. We’re about to witness a living legend climb even higher on the NFL’s all-time receptions list. Will it be this week? With Kelce, you just never know when he’s going to erupt and rewrite the record books. You won’t want to miss it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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