What a time to be alive for Travis Kelce.
One day after E! network confirmed the tight end will star in his own reality show, Catching Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs announced a lucrative new contract for the first-time Pro Bowl selection.
Kelce's new deal is worth $46 million over five years with $20.5 million in guarantees, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported, via sources involved in the negotiations. The new pact, which includes a $10-million signing bonus, will make Kelce the second-highest paid tight end in the NFL.
Due to enter the final year of his rookie contract, Kelce is now under Chiefs' control through 2021.
The new deal comes in just ahead of the recently inked five-year, $42 million contract for Zach Ertz, which makes sense. While neither is a bastion of blocking ability, Kelce has been the better, more consistent receiving threat over the past two years.
Although Kelce's nickname is "Zeus," he has also been labeled "Baby Gronk" due to physical gifts resembling those of Rob Gronkowski.
Whereas the Patriots' All-Pro is a better blocker, a more powerful player and a greater red-zone threat, Kelce has a slight edge in speed and elusiveness in the open field. In fact, Kelce is the only tight end to compile more yards after the catch than Gronkowski over the past two seasons.
After back-to-back seasons with at least 850 receiving yards, Kelce proved worthy of a long-term investment with 14 catches for 151 yards in two postseason games this month.
Because there is so little proven depth behind No. 1 receiver Jeremy Maclin, Kelce is inordinately integral to Kansas City's offense. With those two stars locked up as the lynchpins of Alex Smith's aerial attack, the Chiefs are in fine shape for the foreseeable future.
