Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce is heading into his 12th season in the NFL, and he told reporters two days prior to kickoff of Thursday night's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens that he's as ready as he's ever been.
When asked about the potential of head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy trying to limit his snap count against the Ravens in order to keep him fresh for the long season, Kelce informed reporters that was out of the question.
"No, and I probably wouldn't have listened to them anyway," Kelce told reporters, via Nate Taylor of The Athletic.
"I'm ready to rock. I've never been more excited, honestly," he added.
Despite somewhat of a down year in 2023––at least by Kelce's standards––the 34-year-old indicated he's itching to get back on the field and begin the Chiefs' title defense. Kansas City is aiming to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls, and needless to say, Kelce will play a huge role in the team achieving that goal.
Last year, Kelce racked up 93 receptions, 984 yards and five touchdowns across 15 games. It was the first time since 2015 that he failed to break the 1,000 receiving yard threshold, and his five touchdown grabs were his fewest since 2019. Still, he earned his ninth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and helped the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl in five years.
The idea of taking some snaps off in order to preserve his legs throughout Kansas City's season hasn't crossed his mind, and he made clear that even if instructed to do so, he'd likely ignore those orders.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Travis Kelce Has Defiant Message For Anyone Who Wants Him to Rest in Year 12.
