When asked about Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski called him the best tight end to ever play in the NFL.
Rob Gronkowski Gives High Praise to Travis Kelce
Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl champion with a chronicled history in the game. He’s regarded by many to be one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, but he seems to think the title belongs to somebody else.
Gronkowski discussed Kelce’s place among the greatest tight ends in NFL history in a new interview with Complex. When asked about where Kelce ranks, Gronkowski did not hesitate with his answer.
“I would say he’s the best receiving tight end to ever play the game of football,” Gronkowski said. “I mean he’s proved it on the field over the last seven, eight years. Having a 1,000-yard season, seven in a row. Just missed a 1,000-yard season this year as well by like 20 yards.”
Kelce has also found considerable success in the playoffs, which Gronkowski mentioned as well.
“And then on top of it, just absolutely dominating in the playoffs,” Gronkowski said. “He has 19 career postseason touchdowns, which is an incredible number, about to tie Jerry Rice. And also he has the most catches in postseason history. So you’ve got to tip your hat off to him. You know, he’s just proving people wrong week in and week out.”
Kelce has been playing well with the Chiefs for over a decade and has gained increased recognition in recent years after winning two Super Bowl rings in 2020 and 2023. In the past year, he has gained even more popularity as the boyfriend of pop superstar Taylor Swift.
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In the 2023 regular season, Kelce brought in 93 receptions for 984 yards. Additionally, as Gronkowski mentioned, he has been phenomenal in the playoffs. He and quarterback Patrick Mahomes also made history as they broke the record for the most postseason touchdowns for a duo in NFL history with 16, passing Tom Brady and Gronkowski.
In an idiosyncratic season for the Chiefs, Kelce said the hardships have made the season more special.
“This year I think the fact that we weren’t winning kind of piled up on how I was feeling physically, and you can just catch yourself in a, you know, just like a darker room, I guess, if that makes sense,” Kelce said. “Being able to find some ways to win, kind of rally with the group, find a way to win the division, still find a way to get into the playoffs, and get to where we are today — it just makes it that much more fun.”
The last time Kelce and Gronkowski met on the field was when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl back in 2021. Gronkowski retired from football the following year. Meanwhile, Kelce and Kansas City take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58 on Feb. 11.