With the AFC West and the No. 1 seed locked up, the Chiefs are likely to rest some important players in Week 18. Head coach Andy Reid has already confirmed that quarterback Carson Wentz will start in place of Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City had a similar situation last season and elected to rest other stars in the 2023 finale such as Kelce, cornerback Trent McDuffie and running back Isiah Pacheco, among others. This will likely be the case once again when the Chiefs face Denver.
Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Amid the regular season coming to a close, Kelce has been nominated for the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, along with one player from each of the 31 other NFL teams. This honor goes to a player for their excellence on and off the field. The winner will also receive a $265,000 donation to the charity of their choice.
On New Year’s Day, in hopes of getting their tight end more fan votes for the award, the Chiefs posted a four-word message about Kelce on X. The video they used includes the former Cincinnati Bearcats star signing autographs for fans during a practice.
“Man of the people,” the Chiefs wrote on X with a heart emoji.
Through 16 games, Kelce has helped guide Kansas City to a 15-1 record, including a six-game winning streak going into the final week. In those contests, the tight end has tallied 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns.
Sure, it hasn’t been the most productive season for Kelce statistically, but his impact in clutch situations shouldn’t go unnoticed.
The Chiefs will kick off their final regular-season game against the Broncos on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.
