Who is the best receiving KC TE of all time?

[ducky]

Was watching the Chief's yesterday and once again I couldnt get over how good Kelce is.

He is the best receiving TE of all time IMO. Sure he doesnt have the cumulative stats yet. And likely wont get there simply because he was so much older by the time he started his career. But his years are SO much more dominant compared to other TE's. But of course Tony G is great too.

So I wanted to start a poll that asked NFL fans in general but specifically KC fans as well.

 

[Iggloo]

Tony G was very good and played a long time, but I think Kelce might be better.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I would love to have seen Tony with an actual HOF QB in this era. My sneaky feeling is it’s him, but Kelce is definitely challenging him and may surpass him which I thought to be completely impossible.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Hard to compare previous generations at specific positions. But it's fair to say here in the now that Kelce is without question the all around best TE in the league. The closest to him would be George Kittle (when he's healthy that is), and at this point he or whoever is deemed #2 is somewhat of a distant second. I think by the time Kelce calls it a career, he'll be ranked right up there as one of the all time greatest.

 

[Dude]

Kelce is damn good, and he and Mahomes are on the same page. Tony G was awesome in his own right.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

what I will say is Kelce is maybe the most intelligent TE in terms of football IQ all time. The routes he runs are not normal and require incredible intuition and chemistry at times with his QB.

 

[Clayton]

Tony G had better hands. Kelce more explosive.

Tony G is a lot like Larry Fitzgerald. You can imagine there are better talents but its hard to imagine there are better players.

 

[Dude]

what I will say is Kelce is maybe the most intelligent TE in terms of football IQ all time. The routes he runs are not normal and require incredible intuition and chemistry at times with his QB.

Not my intention to derail thread, but yeah, a lot of chemistry there, sort of like Brady and Gronk.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Not my intention to derail thread, but yeah, a lot of chemistry there, sort of like Brady and Gronk.

Another great combo. I always did think the “Gronk dumb” persona was an act

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Kelce is gonna end up with better stats, but that is the era he is playing in.
I picked Tony Gonzalez. He was clutch for a much longer time with lesser QBs. Didnt matter which team he played for or what QB was throwing him the ball.

By the end of Kelce's career who knows how I feel, but for now I say Gonzalez.

 

[sharkymcwrath]

Kelce. That guy is fantastic.

 

[Clayton]

I would love to have seen Tony with an actual HOF QB in this era. My sneaky feeling is it’s him, but Kelce is definitely challenging him and may surpass him which I thought to be completely impossible.

I think even with an actual HOF QB Tony wouldn't be able to take a screen to the house like Kelce can. The real difference is that Tony played for so long that he would've had a level of consistency for a franchise and if he actually had a HOF QB in KC then it just would've been playoffs every single year for a long period of time. If/when Kelce falls off, thats when Tony's value comes in. If Kelce somehow plays as long as Tony then I'd switch my answer.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Tony Gonzalez was the best TE I have ever seen. Kelce is right there, though.
Like someone else mentioned, Gonzalez never played with a QB anywhere close to Mahomes.

 

[sonnyblack65]

I'm too young to have seen Gonzo so going with Kelce

 

[ducky]

Kelce is gonna end up with better stats, but that is the era he is playing in.
I picked Tony Gonzalez. He was clutch for a much longer time with lesser QBs. Didnt matter which team he played for or what QB was throwing him the ball.

By the end of Kelce's career who knows how I feel, but for now I say Gonzalez.

Go look at their stats in pro football reference compared to each other and notice their ages.

Through age 21-24 Tony G had 3000 yards and 25 TD's. Travis Kelce still hadnt caught an NFL pass (1st year he played he was 25 years old).

That head start combined with how long he played probably means Kelce doesnt catch Tony G in cumulative career stats.

 

[ducky]

You want to crack up google Kelce draft profiles and read some of the draft reports on him.

The worst thing for any draft website is keeping up their reports from 10 years ago.

Most thought he would be a good blocking TE with average receiving skills at best.

 

[VikingFan2k2]

Another great combo. I always did think the “Gronk dumb” persona was an act

I don't think it is. My buddy's wife likes him and I tell her that he won't have to worry about concussions because he doesn't have a brain to damage.

 

[VikingFan2k2]

Tony G had better hands. Kelce more explosive.

Tony G is a lot like Larry Fitzgerald. You can imagine there are better talents but its hard to imagine there are better players.

That's a great comparison. Obviously you'd know best as a Chiefs fan.

Was it tough seeing Tony in a Falcons uniform? It is so rare to see a player play for just one team these days, but Tony seems like one that should have.

 

[Black Adam]

That's a great comparison. Obviously you'd know best as a Chiefs fan.

Was it tough seeing Tony in a Falcons uniform? It is so rare to see a player play for just one team these days, but Tony seems like one that should have.

Yes it was, but I still wanted him to be successful...

Really wanted him to get a ring before he hung 'em up...

 

[Clayton]

That's a great comparison. Obviously you'd know best as a Chiefs fan.

Was it tough seeing Tony in a Falcons uniform? It is so rare to see a player play for just one team these days, but Tony seems like one that should have.

Honestly, Im probably not the best person for this exact conversation because I was a Rams fan while they were in STL which coincides with a lot of this. Tony G did have Vermeil and Trent Green and it was certainly easy to root for both teams.

That said, the team Tony left was terrible. I remember him being double and triple covered and a QB about as good as Zach Wilson throwing to him.