Travis Kelce’s Record-Breaking Award Streak: An Unpacking

Over the past several seasons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as the premier player at his position in the NFL. With his elite route-running, reliable hands, and big-play ability, Kelce has tormented opposing defenses on a weekly basis. While his on-field production speaks for itself, Kelce may also be in the midst of an unprecedented award streak that is cementing his legacy as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game.

A recent comment from Kelce hints that he may be chasing a record of his own, though the specifics of his award streak remain unclear. After congratulating pop star Taylor Swift on her history-making 13th Grammy win, Kelce jokingly stated that he needed to “hold up his end of the bargain” by continuing to win hardware himself. This offhand remark suggests Kelce has been racking up individual honors at an impressive clip. But which awards is he targeting, and just how long has this streak been going? Let’s unpack this further.

The most likely awards Kelce could be referring to are those pertaining specifically to NFL tight ends. As the article mentioned Super Bowl LVII and Kelce’s role as a pass-catching tight end, the honors are almost certainly football-related. The three premier individual awards for tight ends are the Pro Bowl, Associated Press All-Pro selection, and honors like the NFL’s Top 100 list. Given Kelce’s dominance at the position, it’s very possible he has put together an unprecedented streak of one or more of these accolades.

To get a sense of how long Kelce’s award streak may be, we can look at his recent history winning tight end honors. Kelce has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last six seasons dating back to 2017. Even more impressively, he has earned First Team All-Pro honors five times over the last six years, including four straight from 2018-2021. No other tight end in NFL history has put together a streak that long of elite All-Pro level play. Kelce has also consistently ranked near the top of the NFL’s Top 100 list of players, coming in as the top ranked tight end multiple times.

So in total, Kelce’s streak of either Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections currently stands at a minimum of six consecutive years, with an active streak of five straight All-Pro nods. This puts him in truly rare air, as few players at any position have dominated award voting the way Kelce has at tight end for half a decade. His comment about Taylor Swift’s 13 Grammys suggests Kelce may be aiming to extend his streak even further and break yet another NFL record in the process.

Knowing Kelce is chasing Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors brings his award streak into clearer focus. These distinctions carry tremendous prestige, especially All-Pro which signifies a player as the very best at their position in a given season according to a panel of 50 sportswriters. Kelce’s five straight All-Pro selections is simply unheard of for a tight end. The only tight end with more All-Pro honors all-time is Tony Gonzalez with 6, a mark Kelce is closing in on despite having a shorter career than Gonzalez to this point.

Continuing his award streak for at least one more season would give Kelce sole possession of the longest such streak for a tight end ever. Two more years would break yet another record and give him seven All-Pro honors total, the most all-time at his position. Doing so would cement Kelce’s status as the greatest tight end in NFL history in the eyes of many. Already with a Super Bowl ring and a slew of records to his name, adding to his award streak could lift Kelce to an even higher echelon of football greatness.

Not only would breaking award streak records enhance Kelce’s legacy, it would further underscore just how dominant he has been at the tight end position for half a decade running. In an era of specialization and evolving offensive schemes that utilize tight ends in diverse ways, Kelce has proven himself a complete player who can do it all. He is a security blanket for Patrick Mahomes, a big-play threat down the seam, and one of the best run-blockers at his position. Sustaining this level of excellence season after season separates the greats from the very best, and Kelce is making his case as the best to ever do it.

Of course, Kelce still has work to do to achieve what he may be aiming for with his award streak. Health and continued strong play will be critical to keep the honors rolling in. But barring any major setbacks, Kelce seems poised to keep padding his already historic résumé. At only 32 years old heading into his 11th NFL season, Kelce shows no signs of slowing down. As long as he stays in Kansas City, defenses around the league will remain terrified of his big-play potential.

In the coming years, we’ll see if Kelce can truly break new ground and rewrite the record books. His praise of Taylor Swift’s 13 Grammys was likely just a lighthearted quip. But it may have also been a subtle message that Kelce has even loftier goals in mind as he carves out his place among NFL immortals. With his unique combination of skills and sustained excellence, Kelce is making a serious case as the greatest tight end ever. Continuing his award streak would go a long way in cementing that argument once and for all.