Travis Kelce breaks into the top 20 of NFL Top 100 list

For the fifth straight year, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been named to the NFL’s Top 100 list. On Wednesday night, Kelce became the fifth Chiefs player announced through the “The Top 100 Players of 2020” program aired by NFL Network. Kelce came in at No. 18 on the list — his highest ranking ever. He was listed 21st in 2019, 24th in 2018, 26th in 2017 and 91st in 2016.

Kelce, 30, played his college ball at the University of Cincinatti before the Chiefs selected him in the third round (63rd overall) of the 2013 NFL draft. After sitting out almost all of his rookie season with a knee injury, in 2014 he led the Chiefs in receiving yards with 862 on 67 receptions. With the exception of the 2016 season, he has led the team in receptions ever since, gaining more than 1,000 yards in each of the last four years — becoming the fifth tight end to accomplish the feat, and the only one to ever do it in four consecutive seasons.

Along the way, he has been chosen for five Pro Bowls and was twice named a first-team All-Pro — most recently in 2018, when he gained 1,336 yards (and scored 10 touchdowns) on 103 catches.

Over his seven-year Chiefs career, Kelce has amassed 6,465 yards (and scored 37 touchdowns) on 507 receptions. But perhaps more importantly, Kelce has grown as a person — and a leader. During his first five seasons, Kelce was certainly a productive player, but was often disciplined for on-field outbursts.

But before the 2018 season began, Kelce acknowledged that he could become a leader in the locker room. “If that’s what we need out of me, yeah, without a doubt,” he said at the time. “It’s whatever the team needs me to do and that’s my kind of focus on it.”

Kelce’s new attitude played a significant role in the team’s success that season, in which new starting quarterback Patrick Mahome was named the NFL MVP, the team came within a play or two or making the Super Bowl — and one year later, led to the team’s first championship in 50 years.

Here is the 2020 schedule (all times Arrowhead Time):

Tuesday, July 28: 40-31 at 7 p.m., 30-21 at 8 p.m. and 20-11 at 9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 29: 10-6 at 7 p.m. 5-1 at 8 p.m.