It's easy on the outside to take Travis Kelce's greatness for granted, but for Noah Gray, who has been at the future Hall of Famer's hip for going on six seasons, being able to play and learn alongside him is something he'll never overlook. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft, Gray has been the number two option behind Kelce for quite a while and is now on his second contract with the Chiefs.
He's had years to grow under the wing of one of the best to ever do it, and despite a down 2025 season, Gray's 400-plus yards and five touchdowns in 2024 still give me hope that he'll bounce back. The Chiefs as a whole understand that a bounce-back season is mandatory and that winning the Lombardi Trophy is the ultimate goal any year that Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are at the helm.
This sentiment became even more evident when Kelce announced his return for a 14th NFL season, a campaign that could very well mark the end of a historic career. In a press conference earlier today, Gray spoke about Kelce's impact on him and how sweet it is to continue working with him day in and day out.
Travis Kelce remains a revered teammate both on and off the field according to Noah Gray
"I'm just very fortunate and very glad that he is playing alongside me this season... it's something I hope I never take for granted every day I step in this facility," Gray said, courtesy of KCSN's soundbite.
Gray went on to say that Kelce's leadership and knowledge of the offensive intricacies will not only help out the rest of the tight end room but the running backs and receivers who can approach Kelce with a question that he'll certainly provide his most thoughtful answer to.
It's yet another example of how far the 36-year-old tight end has come from his early career seasons of being an ultra-talented, but less than heady football hothead (yes he really did flag an NFL referee mid-game), to now an energy giver on the field, who has constantly been an A-plus teammate, not to mention the gobsmakingly impressive levels of production for a position that doesn't always get the love it deserves.
Whether the Chiefs go on to win their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history or not, being able to just enjoy watching 87 lace them up for potentially the final ride will be an experience both Noah Gray and every Chiefs fan will feel in their bones and remember for years to come.
Add us as a preferred source on Google