Week 18 means a lot of things in the NFL.
It means final playoff pushes; it means teams already eliminated from the postseason are focused on upsetting and eliminating teams who need a win to advance; and it means a handful of playoff-bound stars sitting out.
The Chiefs and their players fall into the latter category. The reigning Super Bowl champions have already clinched the third seed in the AFC playoffs, so the results of their game against the Chargers are irrelevant (as long as you don't count bragging rights, of course).
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was announced as out almost immediately ahead of the game's prep, leaving the starting position to Blaine Gabbert. He's not the only star who will be on the bench, though, as TE Travis Kelce will also get the week off.
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Why is Travis Kelce out vs. Chargers?
Kelce was ruled out just hours before kickoff against the Chargers. Similar to Mahomes, it allows the tight end to get some rest and avoid injury ahead of playoffs. Plus, why would he want to play without Taylor Swift in the stands?
The singer won't be at SoFi Stadium for the final game of the season, but she will be in Los Angeles. She's been nominated for the Golden Globes, an award ceremony that begins three-and-a-half hours after the game's kickoff. Unless Kansas City can wrap up its game in record time, Kelce won't be at the award show with his girlfriend.
It also means Kelce won't break a tight end record. He's recorded seven straight seasons with 1,000 yards but hasn't quite hit the mark needed for an eighth. He certainly would if he played.
Travis Kelce needs exactly 16 yards to hit 1,000 for the eighth straight year. No tight end has ever even approached that and only six pass catchers in NFL history have had at least eight consecutive such seasons.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) January 7, 2024
Kelce will NOT play today. #Chiefs are on to the playoffs.
