Travis Kelce set the Kansas City Chiefs record for most career receiving touchdowns with his fourth-quarter score off Patrick Mahomes in a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.
Kelce surpassed fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez’s record with 76, and his 77th score helped secure the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed with the Chiefs now with a 15-1 record.
The 35-year-old also had his 1,000th career catch in the game, with Kelce still in third place all-time, well behind Gonzalez and former Cowboys star Jason Witten on that list.
To set the Chiefs’ all-time record, a typical Patrick Mahomes connection with Kelce put the tight end’s name in the record books.
Mahomes scrambled to his right to avoid Pittsburgh defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and threw the ball into the end zone, where Kelce was wide open behind the defensive backs for an easy touchdown.
To put a small damper on the record-breaking catch, Kelce was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for dunking the ball through the uprights, Gonzalez’s signature celebration.
Travis Kelce has set the Kansas City Chiefs record for most career receiving touchdowns.
The 35-year-old also made his 1,000th career catch in the game, still third on that all-time list.
Kelce has eight catches for 84 yards in the game, bringing his season receptions total to 97. He also has 1,004 career receptions.
Gonzalez has yet to surpass Kelce in that category with 1,325 career receptions. Witten is among the Chiefs legends with 1,228 receptions.
Kelce and Mahomes will likely sit out the Chiefs’ regular-season finale next week on the road against the Broncos with home-field advantage secured through the AFC Championship.
Kelce’s statement comes amid growing criticism of the 35-year-old that his form is slipping.
However, he is the leading receiver on the best team in the NFL. Any Chiefs fan would accept a 15-1 record if Kelce’s stats dipped a bit.