Travis Kelce has been one of the most recognizable players in the NFL for more than a decade.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has built a career that combines unusual consistency, huge receiving numbers and postseason success. Even after more than a decade in the league, Kelce remains a major part of Kansas City's offense.
For anyone searching how old Travis Kelce is, what number he wears, his NFL stats, or how he compares with Jason Witten, here is a complete look at his career and where he stands in 2026.
How Old Is Travis Kelce?
Travis Kelce is 36 years old.
He was born on October 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio.
As of September 17, 2026, Kelce is 36 and is in his 14th NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs list him at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds.
Kelce entered the NFL in 2013 after playing college football at the University of Cincinnati.
The Chiefs selected him in the third round with the 63rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
That draft position is worth remembering because Kelce's career has gone far beyond what anyone would normally expect from a third-round selection.
Travis Kelce wears No. 87 for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The number has become closely associated with him throughout his NFL career. The Chiefs' current roster lists Kelce as tight end No. 87.
So if you're wondering:
What number is Travis Kelce?
The answer is:
Travis Kelce — #87
He has worn the number throughout his Chiefs career, making No. 87 one of the most recognizable jerseys in Kansas City football.
Kelce's numbers are where the story becomes particularly impressive.
Through the start of the 2026 season, Pro Football Reference lists him with:
- 193 regular-season games
- 1,083 receptions
- 13,073 receiving yards
- 82 receiving touchdowns
- 12.0 yards per reception
The Kansas City Chiefs also identify his 13,002 receiving yards entering 2026 as the third-most in NFL history among tight ends and the most in franchise history.
Because Kelce has already added production in 2026, his current total has moved beyond that 13,002 figure.
His career numbers continue to change during the season.
Kelce's 2025 regular season finished with:
76 receptions, 851 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in 17 games.
He averaged 11.2 yards per reception and finished with 108 targets.
Those numbers came after two seasons in which his receiving yardage dipped compared with his peak years.
But Kelce remained an important part of the Kansas City offense.
The 2026 NFL season is underway, and Kelce has already appeared for Kansas City.
In the Chiefs' opening game against the Denver Broncos on September 14, 2026, Kelce recorded:
- 3 receptions
- 71 receiving yards
- 23.7 yards per reception
- Long reception of 59 yards
- 0 touchdowns
Kansas City won the game 31–10.
The 59-yard catch accounted for most of Kelce's production in that game.
One of the most remarkable parts of Kelce's career isn't simply his biggest season.
It is how consistently he has produced.
From 2016 through 2022, Kelce recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven consecutive seasons.
His biggest regular-season receiving season came in 2020, when he caught:
105 passes for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The 1,416 yards were an NFL record for a tight end at the time.
He followed that with another huge season in 2021 and then produced an even more productive statistical campaign in 2022.
The 2022 season remains one of the defining years of Kelce's career.
He caught:
- 110 passes
- 1,338 yards
- 12 touchdowns
The 110 receptions remain the most by a tight end in a single season for Kansas City.
More importantly, Kelce became the first tight end in NFL history to record multiple seasons with at least 100 receptions.
That season also ended with another Super Bowl championship for Kansas City.
Travis Kelce has won three Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He was part of Kansas City's championship teams in:
- Super Bowl LIV — 2019 season
- Super Bowl LVII — 2022 season
- Super Bowl LVIII — 2023 season
Pro Football Reference lists Kelce as a three-time Super Bowl champion.
His postseason success is an important part of his career because his reputation isn't based only on regular-season statistics.
Kelce's career has also been closely connected with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The pair have developed one of the NFL's most productive quarterback-tight end partnerships.
According to the Chiefs, Mahomes and Kelce have connected for 59 touchdown passes, which is the most quarterback-pass catcher touchdown connection in Chiefs history.
Their partnership has been central to Kansas City's success during the Mahomes era.
Kelce's ability to find space in the middle of the field, adjust routes and make contested catches has made him one of Mahomes' most trusted targets.
This is where another frequently searched name enters the story.
Jason Witten was one of the NFL's most productive tight ends before Kelce's era.
Witten played most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys and finished his career with:
- 271 games
- 1,228 receptions
- 13,046 receiving yards
- 74 receiving touchdowns
- 11 Pro Bowl selections
He played his final NFL season in 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
For years, Witten was one of the statistical benchmarks at the tight end position.
Kelce has now passed him in several important categories.
Yes — but the record was about how quickly a player reached 900 receptions.
Kelce reached 900 career receptions in only 158 games.
Jason Witten previously held the mark, reaching 900 receptions in 181 games.
The Chiefs note that Kelce became the fastest player to reach 900 career receptions, breaking Witten's previous mark by 23 games.
That is a significant distinction.
Witten still finished his career with more total receptions — 1,228 — because he played considerably more games.
But Kelce reached the milestone much faster.
The receiving-yards comparison has now shifted as Kelce continues playing.
Jason Witten finished with:
13,046 receiving yards.
Kelce's current career total is listed at:
13,073 receiving yards.
That puts Kelce 27 yards ahead of Witten in regular-season receiving yardage.
It is another example of how Kelce has moved from being a highly productive tight end to becoming one of the statistical leaders at his position.
StatisticTravis KelceJason WittenGames193*271Receptions1,083*1,228Receiving yards13,073*13,046Receiving TDs8274Pro Bowls1111Super Bowl wins30NFL career2013–present2003–2020
*Kelce's figures are current through the beginning of the 2026 season and can change as the season continues.
The comparison also shows why raw totals don't tell the entire story.
Witten played 271 games, while Kelce has reached his current production in fewer than 200 games.
At 36, Kelce is playing at an age when most NFL tight ends are already retired.
That doesn't mean every player follows the same career path, but tight end is a physically demanding position.
Kelce has nevertheless remained productive deep into his career.
The Chiefs currently list him as their 36-year-old veteran tight end and note that he has caught a pass in 191 consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history.
That consistency is one of the most notable parts of his career.
Kelce isn't the biggest tight end the NFL has ever seen, and he isn't the fastest.
His effectiveness comes from a combination of skills.
Route running
Kelce has developed an ability to find open areas against zone coverage.
Football awareness
He regularly adjusts his routes based on defensive positioning.
Hands
His receiving production has been built on a high volume of targets and reliable catching.
Yards after the catch
Kelce has been particularly effective after securing the ball.
The Chiefs currently list him with 6,158 career receiving yards after the catch, the most among NFL tight ends.
Durability
Playing nearly 200 regular-season games while maintaining elite production is difficult for any NFL player.
Here are some of the milestones that have shaped his career:
2013: Drafted by Kansas City in Round 3.
2014: Became a full-time contributor after missing most of his rookie season.
2016: Recorded his first 1,000-yard receiving season.
2018: Produced 1,336 receiving yards.
2019: Won his first Super Bowl with Kansas City.
2020: Set the then-NFL tight-end single-season receiving-yard record with 1,416 yards.
2022: Recorded 110 receptions and 1,338 yards, then won another Super Bowl.
2023: Reached 900 career receptions faster than any player in NFL history.
2024: Helped Kansas City return to the Super Bowl.
2025: Finished the regular season with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns.
2026: Returned for his 14th NFL season and opened the season with three catches for 71 yards.
Yes.
As of September 2026, Kelce remains a Kansas City Chief and is listed on the team's current roster as tight end No. 87.
The Chiefs say he is entering his 14th season with the organization.
That means his entire NFL career has been spent with Kansas City.
How old is Travis Kelce?
Travis Kelce is 36 years old as of September 2026. He was born October 5, 1989.
What number does Travis Kelce wear?
Travis Kelce wears No. 87 for the Kansas City Chiefs.
What position does Travis Kelce play?
Kelce plays tight end (TE) for the Kansas City Chiefs.
How many receiving yards does Travis Kelce have?
Through the beginning of the 2026 season, Kelce has 13,073 regular-season receiving yards, according to Pro Football Reference.
How many receptions does Travis Kelce have?
He has 1,083 career regular-season receptions entering the 2026 season's second week.
How many touchdowns does Travis Kelce have?
Kelce has 82 career regular-season receiving touchdowns.
How many Super Bowls has Travis Kelce won?
Kelce has won three Super Bowls with Kansas City.
Who has more career receptions, Travis Kelce or Jason Witten?
Jason Witten finished with 1,228 receptions, compared with Kelce's current 1,083. Witten therefore remains ahead in total career receptions.
Who has more receiving yards, Travis Kelce or Jason Witten?
Kelce has now moved ahead. His current total is 13,073 yards, while Witten finished with 13,046.
When was Travis Kelce drafted?
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round, 63rd overall, of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The interesting thing about Travis Kelce's career is that it has never really been about one statistic.
His numbers tell several stories at once.
He has the longevity of a veteran, the production of an elite receiver and the postseason résumé of a championship player.
The comparison with Jason Witten makes that especially clear.
Witten established one of the great statistical careers ever produced by an NFL tight end. Kelce is now moving past him in some of those categories while continuing to play.
And at 36, Kelce isn't looking at his career from the outside yet.
He's still wearing No. 87, still playing for Kansas City and, as the 2026 season gets underway, still adding to the numbers that will eventually define his place among the NFL's great tight ends.
For now, the numbers continue to grow.
And that may be the most interesting part of the Travis Kelce story.
