Chiefs Kingdom is already used to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes setting all kinds of league-wide and franchise records ever since he was first installed as the team’s starting signal caller in 2018. On Sunday, they watched him cross an impressive threshold in only his 63rd regular-season game with a touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce—touchdown number 150 in his career.
Mahomes crossed the 150 touchdown pass mark early in the team’s games on the road against the Denver Broncos with a short three-yard strike in the end zone to Kelce to put the team up 7-0.
In case you missed the touchdown, it was the perfect way to cap a drive that looked just that methodical the whole way down. The Chiefs converted numerous third downs on the drive with short runs by Darrel Williams and long scrambles from Mahomes himself with just enough passes to go nearly end zone to end zone.
Here’s the throw to Kelce on what was the 17th overall play on the scoring drive.
Wiiiiide open to @tkelce for six!
📺: #KCvsDEN on ESPN pic.twitter.com/MlwNAmgbQT
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 8, 2022
For the season, Mahomes now has 36 touchdowns, the third-highest total of his four-year career so far. His high for touchdowns in a season remains his incredible rookie campaign in which he threw 50 scores and eclipsed 5,000 throwing yards as well to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award.
The Chiefs are hoping to put away Denver at Mile High Stadium on Saturday in order to keep pressure on the Tennessee Titans for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. Whoever holds that title earns a free pass in the Wild Card round, making it that much easier to make it to a Super Bowl to represent the conference.
“Travis, I mean, it’s Travis, greatest tight end of all time,” Mahomes said, via Pro Football Talk. “He makes plays like that to win games.
“He just competes,” Mahomes continued. “He’s gonna keep fighting until the very end. When you see that, not only is it impressive for him, but it gets other guys going. Like I said, he’s one of the best if not the best tight end of all time, but he’s coming to work every day to get better. So that shows you, whenever you step in the facility, you’re like, ‘Man, I’ve got to get to work, if this guy is doing that, I have to at least match that.’”
Kelce leads the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns this season. Sunday marked his second multiple-touchdown game of the year, including a four-touchdown performance against the Raiders in Week 5.
He also currently ranks fifth in the NFL with 69 receptions and sixth with 855 receiving yards. He ranks first among tight ends in both categories.
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce hit some career milestones against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.
Let’s start it off with Mahomes, who in his 67th career game hit another pace record. He finished the game with 249 passing yards, allowing him to pass the 20,000 career passing yard mark quicker than any player in NFL history. Rams QB Matthew Stafford previously held the record at 71 games.
Buy Chiefs TicketsPatrick Mahomes will play in his 67th career game tonight and needs 152 passing yards to reach 20,000 for his career.
If he reaches it, he would set the record for fewest games in NFL history to hit the 20,000 mark. Matthew Stafford did it in 71. pic.twitter.com/QfC4IRJudn
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 2, 2022
Mahomes also passed Broncos QB Russell Wilson for the third-most touchdown passes in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Dan Marino and Peyton Manning have more. It’s important to remember that Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith and didn’t throw a touchdown pass during his rookie season.
Will @Chiefs QB @PatrickMahomes pass for at least three TDs vs. @Buccaneers tonight?
A. Yes
B. No@FlaglerHealth @HOFHealth pic.twitter.com/64yk0kjpyU— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) October 2, 2022
Kelce had 9 receptions for 92 yards in Week 4, bringing him to 9,328 career receiving yards. He moves into the top-5 in NFL history in receiving yards by a tight end, pushing former Patriots and Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski down to sixth place.
Breaking tackles. Breaking records.
Congrats, @tkelce!! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/fyokoXMIPo
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 3, 2022
That wasn’t all for Kelce, though. His first-quarter touchdown against the Buccaneers moved him into 10th place in Chiefs franchise history with 388 career points scored.
Lammons first career FF. Lee's second career FR. Sets up Kelce's 60th TD reception. That moves him into 10th for most points in franchise history (388)
— Chiefs Communications (@ChiefsPR) October 3, 2022
Mahomes and Kelce never fail to impress and continue to make their marks on the NFL history books on a weekly basis. It’ll be exciting to see what the duo can achieve next.