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Three games into the 2024-25 season, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s numbers look a lot more like those of a role player than a superstar.

The Chiefs know it, the football world knows it and Kelce himself knows it. Despite a slow start, the 34-year-old is focusing on finding ways to block out the noise and remain focused on putting himself in positions to succeed.

“We’re always constantly working to get better here,” Kelce said. “That’s always been my focus. I think this year, stats may say something different but at the same time, you’ll still see the same person inside this building. That’s all I really care about. I’m my own worst critic. Everything outside this building is just noise, [respectfully] guys.”

Kelce’s season isn’t a case study in bad quality, but the quantity is underwhelming. There’s no dancing around that fact. He’s second on Kansas City in targets, although his 12 are 17 fewer than wide receiver Rashee Rice. He’s third in yards, but he has yet to even cross the 70-yard threshold on the year. Four other Chiefs have caught touchdowns; Kelce has none. The lack of box score output compares poorly to those within the building, and it gets even worse when expanding the scope.

Among all NFL tight ends to log a target this season, here’s where Kelce ranks in various stats:

Targets: T-13th

Receptions: T-14th

Yards: 21st

Yards per reception: T-47th

Fantasy points: T-27th

When holding those rankings against how Kelce was regarded heading into the season – still one of the best tight ends in the sport, if not the best – it’s easy to understand why so many folks are disappointed. Even with that in mind, he doesn’t seem to be worried about not getting the ball thrown his way much.

“I think I’m fortunate I’ve had the success in the past and I realize that the ball can’t always go to one person, it can’t always get in my hands,” Kelce said. “But at the same time, I’ve got all the trust in 1-5 (Patrick Mahomes) to make the right decision. He’s been making great decisions. We might not be putting up as many points as we want to but at the same time, we’re 3-0. We’re doing something right.”

This maturity and patience in Kelce’s approach might have something to do with what he went through last season. Before the year even kicked off, he suffered a hyperextended knee and subsequent bone bruise that forced him to miss Week 1. Early in the season, an ankle sprain slowed him down. The battered and bruised tight end didn’t truly resemble himself until the postseason, when he came alive and looked like the Kelce of old.

This offseason, narratives were pushed that Kansas City thought playoff Kelce was a “more realistic version” of what to expect from him. On paper, he’s been the exact opposite. Turning on the film, however, shows that he’s commanding plenty of attention and doing everything that doesn’t go into traditional stat analysis. He doesn’t seem to have slowed down or become less effective at his job.

Entering a pivotal Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kelce is prepared to see if the results show what his process has set the table for.

“I’m ready to rock, baby,” Kelce said.