One of the best stories of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ season so far has been the dominance of tight end Travis Kelce.
Expectations weren’t necessarily low for Kelce heading into 2026, but not many thought he would make as big of an impact as he has. He ranks first in the NFL in yards after catch with 155, and is second among all tight ends in receiving yards with 231. Kelce has also caught two touchdown passes.
Travis Kelce is opening things up for Kansas City Chiefs backup TE Noah Gray
Veteran backup tight end Noah Gray benefitted from Kelce’s hot start during the Chiefs’ 24-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Gray caught three passes for 39 yards, which was his highest receiving yardage total in a game since November 2024.
One of his receptions was tightly contested, but Gray pulled it down for a gain of 24 yards. It was a crucial play during Kansas City’s final touchdown drive of the game that sealed the win. If Kelce continues at his current pace, Gray could see more opportunities in key situations.
Noah Gray Has Been Under-the-Radar Contributor for Chiefs
Kansas City selected Gray in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Since then, he has been a jack-of-all-trades type of player. While his main role is Kelce’s backup, Gray has also played some fullback and has been a huge contributor on special teams.
There hasn’t been a lot of targets to be had playing behind Kelce, but Gray has been a sneaky-good weapon numerous times throughout the years. Gray’s best year in 2024 when he posted 40 receptions for 437 yards and five touchdowns. At the beginning of that season, the Chiefs gave him a three-year, $18 million contract extension with $10.1 guaranteed.
“I think Noah continues to get better, and he’s a guy that I think we want to feature a little bit more this year,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said after extending Gray. “So, knowing that it’s good to have the ability to take him off some of those, some of those special teams.”
Gray’s numbers dipped significantly in 2025, but Kansas City’s offense as a whole was much worse. Perhaps he can get back to his 2024 form, which would benefit Kelce in the long run. Gray not only has the trust of the coaching staff, but from quarterback Patrick Mahomes as well.
Travis Kelce’s Hot Start Is Opening the Door for Underrated Veteran