Travis Kelce makes NFL history in 2026 season opener for Chiefs with wife Taylor Swift in attendance

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce made history in the 2026 NFL season opener by advancing to No. 2 on the all-time receiving yards list for TEs.

Kelce and the Chiefs got their season off to a winning start against the Denver Broncos with a dominant 31-10 win in Patrick Mahomes ' first game back in nine months.

While Mahomes' performance had plenty of valid criticisms around it, the 36-year-old Kelce showed the world, and his wife Taylor Swift, that his decision to play for another season was the right one.

Travis Kelce's 59-yard run in Chiefs game makes NFL history

Kelce got loose in the third quarter, catching a short pass from Mahomes and finding an open field for him to run up, getting brought down after 59 yards. He overtook Jason Witten for the second-most receiving yards by a TE in NFL history.

Swift can be seen going crazy for the play, as Kelce set up a Harrison Butker field goal that made it 24-10. Kelce finished with 3 catches on 5 targets for 71 yards in the win with no touchdowns.

He got limited targets as the Chiefs leaned heavily into their run game, with reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III dominating the offense.

With Kelce electing to play instead of retiring, this game was an efficient display of how the Chiefs can continue maximizing their veteran TE without being overly reliant on his production.

Can Travis Kelce become the all-time leader in receiving yards by a TE?

Kelce is now at 13,067 career receiving yards, passing Witten's old mark of 13,046, for No. 2 on the list. The legendary Tony Gonzalez ranks No. 1 with 15,127 yards.

With Kelce currently behind by over 2000 yards, it's not realistic to view him as someone who will break that record.

At his age and current production, Kelce would need at least three full seasons where he puts up over 700 yards to crack this record.

While Kelce has said he wants to play 'until the wheels fall off,' it's hard to imagine him playing until 2028 just to chase the record.

If he has a huge statistical season in 2026 or 2027, he might come back for 2028 to break the record, but a player as accomplished as him on and off the field is unlikely to feel that pressure.

With the Chiefs having an elite run game with Walker, and other catching targets like Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice , it's hard to see how Kelce can have the volume or longevity necessary to break the record.