Travis Kelce’s final game could close historic Chiefs career.Image via: Getty If Sunday ends up being the final game of Travis Kelce’s career, it will close a chapter that is hard to match in NFL history. Kelce would walk away with some of the most impressive postseason numbers the league has ever seen, especially when it comes to winning when it matters most.Kelce owns 178 playoff receptions, which is 27 more than Jerry Rice, and his 35 Super Bowl catches rank first all time. Still, records have never been the thing that motivated him. Throughout his career, Kelce has made it clear that team success always came before personal milestones.
Travis Kelce’s Chiefs career defined by wins, not personal milestones
That mindset showed up clearly two seasons ago. Kelce entered the final regular-season game needing just 16 receiving yards to reach his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. Only six players in NFL history have managed that kind of streak. But with the Kansas City Chiefs already locked into the playoffs, Kelce sat out to rest. The record did not happen, but Kansas City went on to win its third Super Bowl in five years.There is one achievement Kelce will finish this season with no matter what happens Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. He is now the winningest player in Chiefs history. His career record stands at 136 wins and 55 losses.Kelce’s journey with the Chiefs began in 2013, when he played just one special teams snap in a win. Over time, he became one of the most important players the franchise has ever had. He now sits ahead of Hall of Fame guard Will Shields, who finished his Chiefs career at 131-93. Long snapper James Winchester follows with 129 wins, while former punter Dustin Colquitt recorded 125.Several things helped shape this era. The NFL moved to a 17-game schedule in 2021, but the bigger reason is the consistent success Kansas City has had since head coach Andy Reid and Kelce arrived in 2013. Kelce’s 11 Pro Bowl seasons line up closely with the team’s most dominant stretch.The playoff numbers tell the same story. In postseason games where Kelce and Winchester played, the Chiefs went 18-7. Only four players in NFL history have appeared in more playoff wins: Tom Brady, Adam Vinatieri, Stephen Gostkowski, and Bill Romanowski.Sunday’s game also brings other storylines. Cornerback Nohl Williams has taken on a bigger role late in the season. Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty is chasing a franchise record. And on special teams, punter Matt Araiza has had a strong year.Also read: Travis Kelce won’t be back with the Kansas City Chiefs? NFL star Rob Gronkowski offers blunt take on what the tight end’s next move could be