Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes doesn\u2019t know what it\u2019s like to not play in the AFC championship game as a starting quarterback in the NFL.<\/p>\n
Every year since Mahomes became Kansas City\u2019s QB1 in 2018, the Chiefs have at least made it to the AFC championship game; they\u2019re 4-2 in those instances and have a chance to make it five AFCCG wins in seven years next week against the winner of Sunday\u2019s divisional-round matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n
But much of Mahomes\u2019 success has been tied to his rapport with star tight end Travis Kelce, and the two have been nearly unstoppable in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The two connected seven times for 117 yards and a touchdown in Saturday\u2019s divisional-round win over the Houston Texans, and they\u2019ve now combined for 149 catches, 1,726 yards and 19 touchdowns in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The duo passed Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski last season for the most touchdowns by a QB-TE duo in the playoffs, and they extended that mark in Sunday\u2019s win. Kelce also passed Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most 100-yard receiving game in the postseason with nine, prompting Mahomes to give Kelce a new nickname during his postgame press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig-time players make big-time plays in big-time games,\u201d\u00a0Mahomes told reporters. \u201cThat’s just how simple it is. He’s one of those guys, he doesn’t let the moment be bigger than what it is. He just goes out there and executes at a high level, just like he does in the regular season, he just does that at a little bit higher intensity.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026It’s playoff Trav \u2014 he’s a leader, man. This is what he lives for, is playing in these moments [and] having the chance to make big-time plays. He goes out there and does that. It seems like he does it every single playoff game.”<\/p>\n
To Mahomes\u2019 point, Kelce does seem to have a knack for turning it up when the Chiefs make it to the postseason.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old owns several playoff records among tight ends including touchdowns (20), 100-yard games (nine), receiving yards (2,020), and starts (23).<\/p>\n
If the Chiefs do become the first team in NFL history to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat, Kelce will have played a huge role in making it happen. He\u2019s totaled 66 catches, 729 yards, and eight touchdowns over the last three postseasons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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