Kansas City Chiefs plan for Travis Kelce next season revealed with ‘reduced workload’ and ‘painful’ practice sessions
Kansas City wanted to implement the strategy in 2024, but injuries
THE Kansas City Chiefs have a plan to manage Travis Kelce’s workload when he returns next year.
Kelce, 35, declared he’s ready for another season and put retirement talk on hold.
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Travis Kelce is adamant he’s coming back for another seasonCredit: Getty
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The Kansas City Chiefs have a plan for how they want to manage the tight endCredit: Getty
He is coming off the back of one of his least productive years in a legendary NFL career.
A report from Fox Sports claimed the Chiefs had a plan for how to manage the tight end last year.
But their plans were derailed by injuries, which meant Kelce had to play a larger role.
According to Fox columnist Harry McKenna, “Travis Kelce wasn’t himself on Sundays – not every week.
“Behind the scenes, practice was getting harder and more painful.
“The Chiefs plan to reduce his workload went belly-up when injuries hit.”
The report from Fox says the decision to sign the likes of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was to take the pressure off Kelce.
Kelce’s 823 receiving yards was the lowest return of his 12-year career.
He also scored only three touchdowns – one fewer than his previous low of four in 2016.
“Definitely, time has taken its toll,” an AFC executive was quoted as saying in the Fox report.
Kansas City Chiefs announces Travis Kelce’s retirement decision after weeks of speculation
“Doesn’t run really well anymore.
“You rarely just see him get open within the design of the play.
“But he has the special connection with the QB to uncover when s*** breaks down.”
Kelce acknowledged that the wear his body has taken played a factor in his retirement decision.
Speaking on New Heights on February 12, he said, “I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years I’ve played more football than anybody.
“The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league.
“That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.”
Managing his body was also a subject Kelce addressed before embarking on the 2024 season.
And during the Super Bowl week, he detailed his new plan to try and stay at the peak of his powers.
“I’ve been eating clean,” Kelce revealed on the Thursday before the Super Bowl.
“I haven’t been drinking as much, a little lower on the pounds this week.
“So, hopefully I can run away from some Eagles out there.”
The Super Bowl didn’t go according to plan for Kelce or the Chiefs as they were comprehensively beaten.
The Philadelphia Eagles ran out 40-22 winners at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
And the way things finished didn’t sit well with Kelce.
“I’m coming back, for sure,” Kelce told Pat McAfee in a text.
“Gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop.
“Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!”
