Chiefs' Travis Kelce Falls Short of Becoming 1st TE to Lead NFL in REC Yards

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Travis Kelce fell short of becoming the first tight end in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards as he sat out the Kansas City Chiefs' 38-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Entering Week 17, Kelce ranked No. 2 in receiving yardage behind Buffalo Bills wideout Stefon Diggs, who had amassed 120 catches for 1,459 yards and eight scores. Kelce had 105 catches for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Diggs had 76 yards on seven catches in his team's 56-26 win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, meaning Kelce finished 119 yards shy of the No. 1 spot. 

Earlier this season, Kelce became the first tight end in league history to post multiple 100-catch seasons, having done so in 2018, as well. He also set the record for the most receiving yards in a single season for a tight end.

A torrid stretch from Weeks 8 through 14 helped Kelce post his fantastic receiving numbers as he averaged 8.3 receptions and 124.8 receiving yards over a six-game period during that span. Five of those six games resulted in 100 or more receiving yards.

The 31-year-old has been the Chiefs' top tight end for seven seasons and helped Kansas City win its first Super Bowl in 50 years last February.

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Kansas City will enter this year's postseason as the favorite to win it all again after earning the AFC's No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

The Chiefs will play a to-be-determined opponent in the AFC Divisional Round on either Sat., Jan. 16 or Sun., Jan. 17.