Travis Kelce is continuing to excel in his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs, and his offensive coordinator has a straightforward explanation for his enduring success, according to “Yahoo Sports”.
Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy praised the tight end, noting that he maintains the same energy and desire to win that he demonstrated early in his career, as reported by “Yahoo Sports”.
Kelce considered retirement during the offseason before deciding to return, noting his excitement to see Bieniemy back in the building, per “The Comeback”.
Commentator Nick Wright has suggested that Taylor Swift also played a significant role in Kelce’s decision to continue playing, according to “The Comeback”.
Regardless of the motivation, the decision is benefiting the 6-2 Chiefs as Kelce records 33 catches for 482 yards, putting him on pace for another 1,000-yard season, per “Yahoo Sports”.
He is also averaging a career-high 14.6 yards per reception and leads the team in receiving even after a trade for Josh Downs, according to “Yahoo Sports”.
However, not everyone has been impressed by his current play, with former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria recently calling him soft for a lack of willingness to block, per “The Comeback”.
Bieniemy addressed Kelce’s persistent drive when speaking to media outlets, according to “KMBC”.
“The will to win, the will to want to be successful,” Bieniemy stated regarding Kelce’s mindset, via local reporting from “KMBC”.
The coach emphasized that Kelce provides a tremendous amount of energy and acts as a leader for younger players, according to “Yahoo Sports”.
Bieniemy also recalled how Kelce worked to improve his hands early in his career by catching roughly 200 extra passes a day during training camp, per “Yahoo Sports”.
“I mean, Kelce wants to win,” Bieniemy explained, adding that the tight end wants to help out in any way possible beyond just statistics, according to “Yahoo Sports”.
Beyond his on-field contributions, Bieniemy highlighted Kelce’s value as a consistent professional and a leader by example, per “Yahoo Sports”.
At 37 years old, the veteran tight end continues to prove he has plenty left in the tank, according to “The Comeback”.