4t HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Travis Kelce stands one touchdown away from joining the elite pantheon of tight ends with 80 career receiving TDs—a club led by Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez and graced by titans like Gates, Gronk, and Graham!
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Travis Kelce stands one touchdown away from joining the elite pantheon of tight ends with 80 career receiving TDs—a club led by Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez and graced by titans like Gates, Gronk, and Graham! As of 11:27 PM +07 on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the Kansas City star needs just a single score against the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football to etch his name alongside these gridiron immortals, capping a season where he’s already shattered expectations and silenced doubters.
Kelce enters Week 9 with 79 receiving touchdowns, a staggering mark that places him in rarified air. The 80-TD Club is an exclusive fraternity:
Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs/ Falcons) – 111 TDs
Antonio Gates (Chargers) – 116 TDs
Rob Gronkowski (Patriots/ Buccaneers) – 92 TDs
Jimmy Graham (Saints/ others) – 85 TDs
Gonzalez, the Chiefs’ all-time great and Kelce’s childhood idol, holds a special resonance. “Tony was the blueprint,” Kelce said in a pre-game presser, his voice thick with reverence. “To be mentioned with him—man, that’s the dream.” The two share more than stats: both redefined the tight end position, blending size, speed, and route-running wizardry into a hybrid weapon that defenses still can’t solve.
This milestone arrives amid a career renaissance. At 36, Kelce was written off by some after a “down” 2023 (93 catches, 984 yards). But 2025 has been vintage Travis: 68 receptions, 912 yards, and 9 TDs through eight games, on pace for 145 catches and 17 scores—numbers that would smash his own records. His chemistry with Patrick Mahomes remains telepathic, with the duo connecting on 27 TDs since 2023, the most of any QB-TE pair in that span.
The Commanders game, set for prime time at Arrowhead, carries extra weight. Washington’s defense ranks 28th in red-zone efficiency, allowing TDs on 68% of trips inside the 20. Kelce has torched them before: 12 catches, 178 yards, 3 TDs in their last meeting. Analysts predict a 78% chance he scores, per ESPN’s FPI. “If there’s a night for history,” one insider said, “it’s this one.”
Beyond stats, Kelce’s impact transcends. His Taylor Swift-fueled global spotlight has drawn millions of new fans, with female viewership up 53% for Chiefs games. His podcast New Heights with brother Jason averages 2.1 million downloads, and his SNL hosting gig broke late-night records. Yet he remains the ultimate teammate—celebrating blockers, mentoring rookies, and turning Arrowhead into a sea of red No. 87 jerseys.
On X, #Kelce80 trends with 180,000 posts, fans sharing montages of his one-handed grabs, yac-fueled romps, and playoff heroics. One viral clip: Kelce’s 2019 AFC Championship TD vs. Titans, a 23-yard laser that sent Kansas City to its first Super Bowl in 50 years. “That’s the moment he became a legend,” @ChiefsKingdom wrote. “80 will just be the cherry on top.”
As Sunday approaches, the Kingdom holds its breath. One catch, one leap, one roar from Mahomes—and Travis Kelce joins the immortals. In a career defined by clutch, this might be his most poetic yet: a touchdown in front of the home crowd, under the lights, with Tony Gonzalez watching from the suite.
History isn’t coming. It’s already here.
And it’s wearing No. 87.
