Travis Kelce of Westlake, Ohio had the best National Football League game of his career on Thursday night. In the process, he broke his own Kansas City Chiefs record for most receiving yards in a game by a tight end with 191 as the Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 34-28 in overtime from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California according to the Kansas City Chiefs Media Guide. Kelce had the old record of 168 yards in a 40-33 win over the Oakland Raiders on December 2, 2018.
Kelce’s masterful night included 10 receptions and two touchdown catches. Kelce’s 191 receiving yards was the seventh most receiving yards by a tight end in a single game in NFL history. The only tight ends who have more receiving yards in a game are Shannon Sharpe of the Denver Broncos (214), Jackie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals (212), George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers (210), Rich Caster of the New York Jets and Pete Retzlaff of the Philadelphia Eagles (204), and Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders (200). Waller had 200 yards in a game just last season in a 31-28 Las Vegas win over the New York Jets on December 6, 2020.
Kelce also has the fourth most receiving yards in a single game this season. The only three who have more are Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers (206), Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals (201), and Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs (197).
Kelce was not the only Chiefs player who had an exceptional game catching the football on Thursday. Tyreek Hill had 12 catches for 148 yards and one touchdown. According to ESPN, Kelce and Hill became the first teammates to have a minimum of 10 receptions and 100 yards in the same game twice in their careers. The first time it happened came on that magical Monday nighter in 2018 when the Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams combined for 105 points, in a 54-51 Rams win. On that night, Hill had Kelce had 10 catches each. Hill had 215 yards, and Kelce had 127 yards.
With the win, the Chiefs move into first place in the American Football Conference with a record of 10 wins and four losses. They have a half game lead over the New England Patriots.
