Travis Kelce Saw Another Side Of Patrick Mahomes That Fans Haven’t Seen

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Travis Kelce has been playing for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2013. Numerous Pro Bowls and three Super Bowls later, he’s still putting his body through the rigorous grind in the NFL.

However, he’s been close to retiring before. After a disappointing campaign by the Chiefs in 2025, he seriously contemplated stepping aside. Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. That may have contributed to his hesitation in returning to the field.

Amazingly, Kelce showed up to the Chiefs’ training camp in tiptop shape. He’s impressed in practice, too. Something might have happened between last season’s bitter ending and the way he’s moving today.

Travis Kelce Was Inspired By Patrick Mahomes’ Dedication To Return 

Mahomes sustained an ACL and LCL injury on December 14, 2025, against the Los Angeles Chargers. That’s a devastating injury, especially for a quarterback. But he worked his way through it. He was determined to return to the field.

And for Travis Kelce, he saw every hurdle Patrick Mahomes has faced during his rehab. 

“I could see the determination. I could see the frustration in his mind that it got to this point this year,” Kelce said in the ‘New Heights’ podcast. 

“And, you know, that was — that’s a huge reason why I’m still playing the game because I know that guy. Like, I want to be there for that guy, you know, in every aspect of the game,” he added.

Kelce was impressed by Mahomes’ dedication. Moreover, he’s excited about the Chiefs’ chances in the upcoming season.

“And I think that’s — that’s exciting coming into the year. We get a fresh start,” he added.

Mahomes’ Status In Week 1 Still Uncertain

With the opening week quickly approaching, every football fan wants to know whether Patrick Mahomes will play or not. 

It’s important to note that he was cleared in July. Mahomes participated in nearly all of the Chiefs’ practices in training camp.

Coach Andy Reid recently gave an intriguing update about his star quarterback. 

“He’s doing great,” Reid said. “We’ll just see. I’m literally taking it day by day. There are no predictions here on anything.”

Travis Kelce saw the hard path that his buddy had to go through. Maybe Mahomes will surprise everybody soon.