Over the years, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as a premier player. Not just during his prime, but historically amongst the many players to ever set foot on an NFL field.
Many wonder whether the future Hall of Fame man will play another snap. With his contract having expired at the conclusion of the season, it’s a fair question to ask. Even if he does hang up the cleats, he’ll go down as an all-time great.
Father Time is undefeated, and Kelce’s days as a dominant force seem to be over. That isn’t necessarily how a rival player views the situation, though.
Cardinals TE Trey McBride Gives Chiefs’ Travis Kelce the Ultimate Praise
In a February 3 story for ESPN, Josh Weinfuss documented Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride‘s experience at the Pro Bowl. Within that, the star pass catcher discussed whether he feels like he’s the best at his job.
McBride acknowledged a great 2025-26 campaign, but he thinks Kelce’s proven over the years that he’s deserving of the crown.
“I think I’m a great tight end, I just don’t think I’m the best,” McBride said. “I feel like I’m considered one of the top tight ends, but I’ve got to just keep proving myself each and every day, each and every week, every year. I’ve had a good couple years, but (George) Kittle, (Travis) Kelce, these guys have had eight, nine years of that. I’ve got a lot to catch up on those guys, but yeah, I had a great year. I’ve had a good couple years, but I’ve just got to keep doing it for many more.”
McBride is prepared to accept the praise that comes with elite-level play, but only when he does it for several years.
“He’s ready to take the top tight end mantle from them but only ‘when the time is right,'” Weinfuss wrote. “And he doesn’t think now is the time. McBride still wants to improve every year and feels like he needs to keep proving himself, regardless of what others think.”
This season, McBride hauled in 126 passes for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns — all career-high marks. The former second-round pick is just 26 years old and has a bright future ahead of him.
Where Does Kelce Rank Among TEs After 2025-26 Season?
Let’s clear the air here: McBride is undoubtedly better than Kelce right now. That was true in 2024, it stood pat throughout 2025, and it’ll be the case if Kelce plays in 2026. McBride’s comments are a reflection of humility and respect for legacy. Based on his recent production, though, he’s the best doing it at the tight end spot.
That doesn’t mean Kelce is chopped liver, however. After an underwhelming 2024-25 effort, he returned with a vengeance in 2025-26. Playing in all 17 regular-season games, Kelce caught 21 fewer passes but improved his yardage mark by 28 and also added two more touchdowns than the year prior. His 11.1 yards per touch were his most since 2022.
Advanced stats also painted a healthy picture of Kelce’s output. Pro Football Focus, for example, graded him as the No. 14 tight end among qualifiers in receiving grade and overall grade. Per SumerSports, out of tight ends with 250+ routes run, he ranked third in total EPA (71.19) and 15th in yards per route run (1.46).
ESPN’s receiver scores didn’t like Kelce’s season quite as much. The outlet graded him tied for 19th at the position in overall score (51), largely due to a 33 YAC (yards after catch) mark. With that said, his benchmark for being “open” (64) sat seventh.
Multiple things can be true here. Sure, Kelce isn’t the best tight end in the NFL anymore. Heck, he might not even be a top two or three player at a tough position. With that said, what he did at the age of 36 was rather unprecedented. His resume speaks for itself, and he’d be a positive contributor for the Chiefs if he returned for 2026-27.
McBride took the most commendable road when deciphering all of that.
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Given Surprising Assessment From Fellow TE