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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is hoping to become a two-time Super Bowl champion by the end of tonight. The 31-year-old has played a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ offense for a number of years now and it has definitely paid off in terms of salary.
Ahead of tonight’s kickoff, let’s take a look at the Ohio native’s contract with the reigning world champions and how long fans can expect Kelce to remain in Chiefs red and white.
Kelce and the Chiefs Agreed To a New Extension in August 2020
Last summer was a productive one for Kansas City’s front office. Not only did they make Patrick Mahomes the highest paid athlete in sports history, but CEO Clark Hunt and general manager Brett Veach also inked extensions with defensive tackle Chris Jones and Kelce.
According to the Kansas City Star, the four-year extension is worth $57.25 million, with No. 87 bringing in an estimated $14 million and $15 million annually. Kelce also took home $28 million in guaranteed money. The six-time Pro Bowler’s previous deal was set to expire following the 2021 season and paid him a $8 million base salary in 2020 and $7.5 million in 2021. Kelce signed that in 2016 and it came with an impressive $10 million signing bonus and just over $20 million in guaranteed funds.
Following the conclusion of the 2019 season, the Chiefs front office retained 20 of their 22 starting men. In order to make a push for another title, it was imperative to keep as many key members of both their offense and defense. Once they squared away Mahomes’ agreement, it seemed only fair to reward one of his favorite receivers with a monster settlement of his own.
A Season To Remember for Kelce
The Chiefs are just one game away from a successful #RunItBack campaign, and much of that credit should rightfully go to Kelce for his efforts.
On December 27, he broke the league’s single-season receiving record by a tight end, recording 1,416 yards on the year to surpass San Francisco 49ers tight end George’s Kittle’s tally of 1,377 yards set 2018. The previous owner of the record before both Kelce and Kittle is Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski with 1,327 receiving yards in the 2011 season.
Kelce is also extending personal records, which is no easy feat. No tight end in the NFL’s history has ever gone four seasons with 1,000 receiving yards or more in a row. The 2020 season marked Kelce’s fifth consecutive campaign with that distinction.
“Getting recognized like that, it’s awesome because the Chiefs, my teammates, my coaches, people in this building are proud of me in that regard,” Kelce said about breaking the record in December 2020. “And heck, it can make my family extremely happy, something they can talk smack [about] to the person next to them. But at the end of the day, there’s always more to accomplish in a team game.”
With at least five more years to go in Kansas City and the potential to bring a third Lombardi Trophy back to Arrowhead Stadium, it’s business as usual for the star. However, it’s safe to say this Kansas City squad is a dynasty in the making.
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