Long live the king: Travis Kelce rewrites the NFL record books
The Chiefs tight end combined another 100-yard performance with a milestone that places him alone at the top of the NFL's all-time yards-after-catch list
T ravis Kelce added another major achievement to his already remarkable NFL résumé on Sunday night, helping the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Indianapolis Colts 33-30 in overtime while simultaneously moving to the top of one of the league's most notable statistical categories.
Kelce finished the dramatic Week 2 contest with nine receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown, giving Patrick Mahomes another dependable target during a game that eventually required overtime to settle.
The Chiefs improved to 2-0 with Harrison Butker 's 40-yard field goal as time expired, while the Colts fell to 0-2.
The performance was significant for Kelce beyond the box score. During the first half, the Chiefs announced that the 36-year-old had surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk for the most receiving yards after the catch in NFL history.
Kansas City's own player profile now lists Kelce with 6,158 career yards after the catch, placing him at the top among tight ends and, following the latest milestone, at the summit across all positions.
He entered the 2026 campaign having already accumulated 443 yards after the catch during the 2025 season.
The record reflects one of the defining characteristics of Kelce's game. Rather than simply making catches at the line of scrimmage and going down, he has repeatedly turned short and intermediate completions into substantial gains by finding space, breaking tackles and creating additional yardage once the ball is in his hands.
That ability was on display again against Indianapolis.
Kelce's touchdown came on a 13-yard connection with Mahomes , giving the Chiefs veteran his first touchdown of the 2026 season. He averaged 11.2 yards per reception against the Colts and was one of the central pieces of an offense that produced 33 points.
Another chapter in an extraordinary Chiefs career
The latest record is another addition to a résumé that already places Kelce among the most productive pass catchers in NFL history.
According to NFL career statistics, Kelce entered the season with 1,092 receptions and 13,174 receiving yards across his career. Through two games of 2026, he has added 12 receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown.
His consistency has been particularly striking for a player now in his 14th NFL season. Kelce has produced multiple 1,000-yard seasons and became the first tight end in league history to record multiple seasons with at least 100 receptions.
His combination of volume, longevity and production has allowed him to accumulate records traditionally associated with wide receivers.
Sunday's achievement came during a game in which Kansas City needed virtually every major contributor to deliver.
Mahomes completed 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Kenneth Walker III added 117 rushing yards while also contributing 61 receiving yards, and Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals each caught touchdown passes.
Indianapolis kept the pressure on throughout the night. Jonathan Taylor scored twice, and the Colts eventually forced overtime after the teams traded scores late in regulation.
Kansas City and Indianapolis exchanged field goals during the extra period before Mahomes connected with Walker on a crucial completion to put Butker in position for the decisive kick.
Butker's field goal completed the 33-30 victory and preserved Kansas City's unbeaten start.
For Kelce , however, the result was accompanied by an individual landmark that will remain part of NFL history long after the details of the Colts game fade.
The veteran tight end now owns the league's all-time yards-after-catch record, adding another distinction to a career that continues to produce milestones even in its later stages.
The Chiefs ' attention now turns toward Week 3. Kansas City will travel to Miami to face the Dolphins on Sunday, September 27, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
After Kelce's latest record-setting night, the Chiefs will continue their pursuit of another deep postseason run with their longtime star still playing a central role in the offense.
