The Kansas City Chiefs have taken over the NFL. Winners of three Super Bowls in five years, the Chiefs have created a dynasty of sorts and have the chance to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls if they can triumph next February. And a big part of that potential success will likely be tight end Travis Kelce.

Kelce, who has played his entire career with the Chiefs so far, was drafted by the team in 2013 in the third round. Since then, he has proven to be one of the best tight ends ever and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' favorite target.

But Kelce is not the player he used to be. At 34 years old — he'll turn 35 in October — Kelce is coming to terms that he is not as athletic and maybe not as good as he once was.

On the “Bussin' with the Boys” podcast, Kelce admitted he is not the same player he was when he was younger.

“Having to deal with not always being in the game in certain moments in the game — I had to look myself in the mirror like, ‘Dude the team’s better when Noah (Gray) and Blake Bell are in the game in these type of situations,'” Kelce said. “You have to be all right with that. You can’t just be like I’m f—-ing me, I need to be on the f—-ing field, and that’s just how it’s always been. So dealing with that, knowing I’ve got to trust the head ball coach on what the team needs best. I just want to go out there and be there every single f—-ing play and help the team, so dealing with that has probably been the biggest struggle.

“I think it's been over the last two or three years understanding that. And on top that, you throw in that we weren't just having Bookoo success during the season like we had in years past.

“So not having the success we thought we should be having, we're used to having, and then having to deal with not being as successful or as smooth in routes and things like that and being reliable for [Mahomes] back there. That s–t was, it was a learning process, man.”

Travis Kelce's down year at age 34

Kansas City Chiefs player Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce

While the Chiefs hoisted another Lombardi Trophy and won their second consecutive Super Bowl, Travis Kelce did not have as much success on the field as he had in years past. For the first time since 2015, his third year in the NFL, Kelce did not surpass 1,000 receiving yards in the regular season, falling 16 yards shy.

When asked on the “Bussin' with the Boys” podcast about not reaching the 1,000-yard mark, Kelce said the stats are secondary to winning, so he decided to rest in the final week of the regular season rather than try to earn the 16 remaining yards.

Still, Kelce's play, especially considering he began dating music superstar Taylor Swift before the season, became a point of discussion. In addition to his yards, Kelce caught only five touchdown passes, which tied for the second-lowest season total since his rookie season. Kelce had caught no fewer than nine touchdowns each of the previous three seasons, including a career-high 12 in 2022.

In some ways, though, Kelce's playoff production more than made up for a relatively lackluster regular season. Kelce caught an NFL tight-end record 32 passes in the playoffs for 355 yards and three touchdowns. After another stellar postseason, Kelce is now the NFL's all-time tight ends leader in games started, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Additionally, he is the NFL all-time leader — regardless of position — for playoff receptions with 165 in his career.

As one of the older tight ends remaining in the league and since he is one of the most popular and recognizable active players, Kelce will certainly be linked to retirement rumors throughout the next year. His older brother, longtime Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, with whom he co-hosts the popular “New Heights” podcast, retired a few months ago.