Patrick Mahomes: Travis Kelce 'Means the World to Me'; TE Has Helped Make Me Who I Am

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes discussed his bond with tight end Travis Kelce following the team's 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football.

"He means the world to me, man," Mahomes told reporters. "Without getting emotional, he's a guy that has really made me who I am in my career and a true leader on the football field. Everybody says 'security blanket,' but someone that I can just go to at any moment and he's going to make a big play happen."

"Even for me, to come into the league and have a superstar player and see him work like that, it kind of showed me that I'm going to have to put that work ethic in if I want to get to that level," he added.

Mahomes and Kelce have been teammates since 2017 and thrived as a pair, developing into one of the premier duos in NFL history. They've won three Super Bowl titles together, helping to establish the Chiefs as a modern dynasty after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in each of the past two seasons.

Kelce ranks No. 3 on the league's all-time receiving yards list among tight ends, while Mahomes has already compiled an impressive résumé that includes two AP MVP awards and three Super Bowl MVP honors.

The pair has continued to propel Kansas City's offense in 2024, as the team currently holds the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 12-1 record.

With the Chiefs attempting to run out the clock and kick a game-winning field goal against the Chargers on Sunday, Mahomes bought time in the pocket before finding Kelce for a crucial third-down conversion that kept the ball out of Los Angeles' hands.

With the win, Kansas City clinched an AFC West title for the ninth consecutive year.

As Mahomes and Kelce look to close out the regular season on a high note and prepare for the playoffs, the star quarterback praised his veteran teammate following the Chiefs' latest victory.