• Stepping up when it matters most: Over four Super Bowl appearances, Travis Kelce has earned an 82.7 receiving grade, having hauled in 31 receptions on 38 targets for 350 yards, two touchdowns and 16 first downs, with just one drop.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Early in Travis Kelce’s career, it was clear the Kansas City Chiefs had a special talent on their hands.

Though a knee injury landed Travis Kelce on injured reserve as a rookie—limiting him to just one special teams snap all year—he quickly made up for lost time. After recording 862 receiving yards in his second season, he went on a remarkable run, surpassing 1,000 yards in nine straight seasons before falling just 41 yards short in 2024 — with one game still left to play.

Over that span, Kelce has built a Hall of Fame résumé, helping Kansas City secure three Lombardi Trophies while making four (soon to be five) Super Bowl appearances. So, as the Chiefs prepare for Super Bowl 59, it’s worth revisiting Kelce’s performances on football’s biggest stage and examining his impact on Kansas City’s championship success.

TRAVIS KELCE: PFF GRADES AND RECEIVING STATS SINCE 2014

Over four Super Bowl appearances, Kelce has earned an 82.7 receiving grade, having hauled in 31 receptions on 38 targets for 350 yards, two touchdowns and 16 first downs, with just one drop.

Extrapolated over a 16-game season, those numbers would translate to an astonishing 124 catches, 1,400 yards, eight touchdowns, 64 first downs and just four drops. That reception total would mark a career-high, while the 1,400 yards would be the second-most in a single season of his career.

Simply put, Kelce’s impact on the game’s biggest stage has been nothing short of incredible.

Super Bowl 54

Kelce’s first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl 54 was his least productive of the four. He caught six passes for 43 yards and one touchdown but managed just 0.96 yards per route run and earned a 69.1 PFF grade.

The 49ers defense largely neutralized his impact, preventing him from generating an explosive play—the only Super Bowl in which he failed to do so. However, a coverage bust near the goal line allowed Kelce to find the end zone, cutting San Francisco’s lead to 20-17 and helping spark Kansas City’s comeback victory.

Super Bowl 55

The Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl the following season to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Kelce delivered what was arguably his most productive performance. He caught 10 passes for 133 yards, converted six first downs, generated three explosive plays and averaged 2.61 yards per route run.

However, the game was not without its struggles. Kelce had a costly third-down drop in the first quarter and caught just one of five contested targets. With Kansas City unable to finish drives and managing only nine total points, Kelce recorded 55 yards on six catches through three quarters before a strong fourth quarter that ultimately proved too little, too late.

Super Bowl 57

After falling short in 2021 with an AFC Championship loss to the Bengals, the Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl in 2022, facing the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kansas City started slowly once again, but Kelce came out strong, catching three passes for 60 yards, a touchdown and three first downs—all three receptions going for explosive gains. The Eagles defense struggled to contain him over the middle of the field and in the red zone.

Philadelphia adjusted in the second half, limiting Kelce’s impact, but he still finished with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown while averaging 3.12 yards per route run. With the Chiefs’ rushing attack taking over in the second half, Kelce’s contributions helped Kansas City secure another Lombardi Trophy.

Super Bowl 58

In last year’s Super Bowl 54 rematch against the 49ers, Kelce delivered another strong performance, catching nine passes for 93 yards and five first downs. He recorded two explosive receptions while averaging 1.94 yards per route run.

It was yet another slow start for the Chiefs offense, including Kelce, but he took over in the second half and overtime, hauling in eight of his nine catches for 92 yards during that stretch.

In the fourth quarter alone, Kelce caught four passes for 60 yards, including two clutch first-down receptions on the final drive to set up the game-tying field goal that forced overtime, where the Chiefs ultimately secured another championship.

After a modest debut in Super Bowl 54, Travis Kelce has consistently played up to his Hall of Fame standard on football’s biggest stage. He has elevated his game to career-best levels in the Super Bowl, delivering for the Chiefs in high-leverage moments and proving to be a difference-maker when it matters most.

Whether he retires after this season or returns for another run, Kelce has already solidified his place as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.