Patrick Mahomes shares reasoning for Travis Kelce's underwhelming start to NFL season

Travis Kelce has gotten off to a slow start this season, catching just eight passes for 69 yards and zero touchdowns through the Kansas City Chiefs' first three games

The Kansas City Chiefs have kicked off the NFL season with a stellar 3-0 record, despite Travis Kelce not yet making his mark in the wins.

Kelce, one of the top tight ends in the league and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' go-to target, has only managed eight receptions from 12 targets, totalling just 69 yards without scoring any touchdowns. Despite his reputation for remarkable plays, Kelce's performance thus far hasn't met the high expectations.

Even though Kelce himself has often stated he isn't concerned about his personal stats, there are signs that the reduced number of catches is affecting him. During Sunday's 22-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, in which the tight end reeled in four catches for 30 yards, he was seen on camera gazing somberly into the distance.

Amidst concerns over his lacklustre showings, Mahomes came to his defence after Sunday's victory. He explained to reporters that defenses are zeroing in on shutting down Kelce, resulting in opportunities for other players to rise to the occasion.

"It's crazy because the respect factor teams have for Travis is unreal, and it's well-deserved," said Mahomes. "We're calling a lot of plays for Travis and it's like two or three [defenders] are going to him.

"That's the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game but he wants to win at the end of the day. I'm going to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he's there, whenever he's open."

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In the absence of Kelce, a host of young stars have been stepping up to shoulder the offensive responsibilities. In the clash against the Falcons, wide receiver Rashee Rice snagged 12 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, marking yet another notable display with over 100 receiving yards. Hotshot rookie Xavier Worthy is also beginning to shine, proving to be a dual-threat in the running and passing plays early into his NFL career.

Mahomes explained that having multiple offensive threats will assist in elevating Kelce from his early-season struggles. "I think the more Rashee makes plays, the more we're able to run the football, the more we can get Worthy involved, I think that's going to open Travis up more," he commented.

It remains to be seen when, if at all, Kelce will return to his peak performance level. Regardless of his slow onset this season, the 34-year-old has maintained that he is not allowing his less-than-ideal stats to weigh him down.

"There's a lot of things that have to go right for anyone to get the ball," he confessed on the recent episode of the New Heights Podcast. "These past two games it hasn't gone that way for me. That's football, man."