Chiefs’ Travis Kelce had no one around him for TD catch vs. Broncos. Here’s why

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had his team’s only touchdown Sunday — a 2-yard reception from quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a fourth-and-goal in KC’s 16-14 home victory over the Denver Broncos.

In this video, KC Star reporter Jesse Newell and Brett Taveau (author of the Chiefs book “Unpacking Greatness” and a longtime high school offensive coordinator) take a closer look at the details the Chiefs needed to get Kelce so wide open on a critical play.

A rewatch of the film shows how KC coaches, including Andy Reid, succeeded in confusing Denver’s defenders.

The Chiefs also flourished on a play that worked for them last year — and was used against them in Super Bowl LIV.

This story was originally published November 12, 2024 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Chiefs’ Travis Kelce had no one around him for TD catch vs. Broncos. Here’s why."

Jesse Newell

The Kansas City Star

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Jesse Newell covered the Chiefs for The Star until August 2025. He won an EPPY for best sports blog and previously was named top beat writer in his circulation by AP’s Sports Editors. His interest in sports analytics comes from his math teacher father, who handed out rulers to Trick-or-Treaters each year.