Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most postseason receptions ever in Sunday's AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Kelce got the 152nd career clincher in the second quarter. The 34-year-old entered the game needing seven touchdowns to pass Rice for the most in postseason history. In the first half, he had nine catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Kelce was consistent in the postseason and was on a streak of 12 postseason games with at least five catches. He led the Chiefs in receiving this season with 984 yards on 93 receptions.
What makes Kelce so effective?
Kelce's longevity, durability and athleticism allowed him to set a record that was pretty impressive, even for a postseason mark. Rice has always been, and always will be, the highest standard when it comes to Hall of Fame card catchers. Playing alongside Mahomes, Kelce was just as reliable to Mahomes as Rice was to Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young. Many opposing defenses have tried to limit Kelce's effectiveness, trying to jam him at the line of scrimmage, assigning two defenders to cover him or putting their best defender on him.
Kelce always had the right answer to the chess game, whether he was throwing his routes against zone coverage or just jumping or out-maneuvering a defender for a contested shot. One of the biggest reasons the Chiefs have made it to six straight AFC Championship Series appearances, and won two Super Bowls in a four-year span, is that they have Kelce, the greatest tight end in the 104-year history of the NFL. — Nate Taylor, Chiefs staff writer
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