Backup Noah Gray is coming off his best season as a pro.
Travis Kelce Had Words for Chiefs' Second-Best Tight End originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Travis Kelce has been nothing short of a star for the Kansas City Chiefs over the past dozen years, but even he is appreciative of the talent in the room around him.
As the Chiefs prepare to gear up for what would be the franchise's fourth Super Bowl title since 2019, they made sure to add some depth around the seven-time All-Pro tight end.
Kelce, 35, is coming off one of his least productive seasons since being drafted with the No. 63 pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He recorded 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown numbers are career lows, except for his rookie season, when he played one special teams snap before needing surgery on his knee.
Travis Kelce Shared Thoughts on His Backup
When speaking to the media Wednesday, Kelce revealed that he is quite fond of the guys behind him, but singled out fifth-year tight end out of Duke Noah Gray, as reported by Pete Sweeney.
Travis Kelce really seems to like Robert Tonyan, whom he calls "Big Bob." Kelce added that he believes Noah Gray has taken his game to another level.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) August 6, 2025
The Chiefs drafted Gray with the No. 162 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he is coming off the best season of his NFL career. He racked up career highs with 40 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns.
Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart, Tight Ends
Although the Chiefs have also added Robert Tonyan, who has a career 17 touchdowns and 148 catches, ESPN's updated depth chart has Gray as the understudy to Kelce. The updated depth chart goes as follows:
- TE1 Travis Kelce
- TE2 Noah Gray
- TE3 Robert Tonyan
Travis Kelce Wants to Win Another Super Bowl with Chiefs
The Chiefs infamously were blasted by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this past season, losing 40-22. It was a loss that ended their bid to become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row, and one that has Kelce as motivated as ever, as he revealed Wednesday when asked about why he works so hard.
"Trying to win Super Bowls man," Kelce said. "It's the only way you get there and I think it starts in the offseason. When you get out here to St. Joe and getting into training camp, man, it really signifies coming together, the chemistry, the culture that you need to have to keep getting better every single day, every single week throughout the year."
It's unclear how much Kelce has left in the tank, but clearly he is ready to give it his all.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
