After questions about whether Travis Kelce was past his prime, the veteran tight end delivered two game-changing plays as the Kansas City Chiefs moved to 3-0 with a 24-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Kelce has heard plenty of doubts since a disappointing 2026 NFL season raised questions about whether the Chiefs star was still capable of producing at the highest level after a relatively poor 2024 and 2025 by his standards.
But his latest performance offered a timely reminder of what he can still do as his team remained unbeaten thanks to the tight end’s late touchdown at the Hard Rock Stadium on September 27.
Although the 36-year-old was not heavily involved statistically as he finished with only two receptions for 59 yards, but both catches had a major impact on the game and the first came on Kansas City‘s opening play.
Patrick Mahomes connected with Kelce, who turned the short opportunity into a spectacular 48-yard gain. The play immediately caught the attention of fans watching the veteran tight end look more like his dominant former self.
One fan on X wrote, “Did Kelce hop into a time machine and go back to 2022?”
Another praised the long-standing connection between the two Chiefs stars, writing, “Kelce and Mahomes’ chemistry on plays out of structure is unmatched.”
A third fan was simply left amazed by Kelce’s ability to create separation, asking, “I’m in awe man, how is he ALWAYS open???”
Chiefs pull through surprisingly competitive Dolphins game
Kansas City ultimately needed more than Kelce‘s opening burst to secure its third consecutive victory. Mahomes finished with 246 passing yards and two touchdowns. Kenneth Walker III contributed a touchdown reception and a rushing score.
The Chiefs appeared ready to pull away after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions, but Miami‘s defense settled down and the rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez even intercepted Mahomes before halftime as Rashee Rice spilled a catch.
The Dolphins narrowed the deficit to 14-10 during the third quarter before Kelce then delivered again when Kansas City needed to create some breathing room after the Chiefs stopped their rivals on fourth down at the Dolphins‘ 48-yard line.
Mahomes then found Taylor Swift’s husband for an 11-yard touchdown with 2:55 remaining and the score put Kansas City ahead by two possessions and effectively ended Miami‘s hopes of completing a comeback.
Elsewhere Rice led Kansas City with seven receptions for 88 yards, including catches of 15 and 34 yards on the Chiefs‘ final scoring drive whilst Walker added 70 rushing yards on 18 carries on a tough day for the team.
The Dolphins fell to 0-3 after quarterback Malik Willis threw for 210 yards with an interception and lost fumble. Miami also lost De’Von Achane to a knee injury on its opening possession.
Kansas City now turns its attention to an AFC West showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders on October 4 but after three games, however, Kelce has already provided a reminder that his value cannot always be measured by volume.
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