Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was on the field against the Seattle Seahawks, but was largely invisible during the first half.
Kelce had no catches on three targets, with a critical drop late in the first half while his team was trailing 10-0. The Chiefs struggled to move the ball against an aggressive Seahawks defense, with difficulty getting anything going in either the passing or running game.
Travis Kelce Playing, Not Making an Impact Against Seattle
Kelce wasn’t the only member of the Chiefs struggling in the first half against the Seahawks. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 8-of-15 passes for 68 yards and one interception in the first half, while running back Kenneth Walker III had eight carries for 24 yards.
Kelce was also called for an illegal motion penalty earlier in the first half when he failed to get set before the ball was snapped.
The veteran tight end came into the game with something to prove, noting in an appearance on his his “New Heights” podcast earlier in the week that he had never won a game in Seattle.
“It is a tough place to (expletive) play, man. You go up there to that Northwest with those 12s flying around, man,” Kelce said.
Kelce added that this year’s team is particularly tough, with a defense that has a “bully ball mentality.”
“And we know how good Sam Darnold is and Jaxon Smith-Njigba,” Kelce said. “And I got nothing but a ton of respect for them. And obviously Cooper Kupp, our guy, friend of the show.”
Kelce’s praise was a bit prophetic, as Smith-Njigba torched Kansas City’s secondary in the first half. He made six receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown in the first half, adding 13 rushing yards.
Smith-Njigba came close to scoring another touchdown, being pushed out at the 2-yard line just before halftime. Quarterback Sam Darnold threw an interception later that drive, but the Chiefs came up short on a field goal attempt just before halftime, going into the break down 10-0.
Travis Kelce Can Make History Against Seahawks
As reporter Charles Goldman noted, Kelce entered the game with a chance to make history. He was within range of passing fellow Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez for all-time reception yards.
“Two targets for Chiefs TE Travis Kelce tonight. No receptions. He needs 35 yards and 3 receptions to make some history tonight,” Goldman noted in a post on X.
While Kelce didn’t make any progress toward that in the first half, the Chiefs did find room for another tight end in their game plan against Seattle. Noah Gray made two receptions for 25 yards in the first half.
Is Travis Kelce Playing Against Seattle? Why TE Has No Catches at Halftime