In the Week 3 game against the Falcons, the Chiefs fanbase saw Patrick Mahomes overlook Travis Kelce. As the Super Bowl champions trailed before halftime, Mahomes made a pass to WR Rashee Rice, despite Kelce’s availability, for their first TD and to level the scores. It led to questions about why the quarterback was not going for his usual target, Kelce. Answers followed but looks like that just wasn’t enough.

Let’s talk stats for a minute from the Week 3 game. Kelce caught just four catches on five targets for 30 passing yards vs Rice, who had 14 targets and 12 receptions for 110 yards. In the post-game conference, Patrick wasn’t subtle when he said that the respect the TE still commands inside the team is incredible. At that point in time, Kelce’s 35th birthday was just a week away. Mahomes had then said,

“The respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal. It’s well-deserved but we’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three people are going to him. He understands — I think that’s the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact in the game but he wants to win at the end of the day.

“I’m going to try to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he’s there, whenever he’s open. I think the more Rashee (Rice) makes plays, the more we’re able to run the football, the more we can get (Xavier) Worthy involved, I think that’s going to open Travis up more. People are really emphasizing taking him away and that’s getting other guys open.”

The Chiefs had a 28-18 win over the 49ers extending their winning run to 6-0. The offense has come under scrutiny, but against the 49ers, they had a much improved red zone performance producing four scores on five red zone trips. However, it might not be a great day if you are a Travis Kelce fan. During a play in the first quarter on third down, Mahomes had a clear sight of Kelce, who was in the open. But he hesitated in making the pass and was quickly brought down, with the tight end left waiting.

Over the first half, Mahomes threw for 108 yards and Kelce had only 2 receptions for 10 yards, which didn’t sit well with some fans on social media. Finishing four catches for 30 yards, Kelce was content, to say the least, when he said, “I love every single guy on this team because that’s the mentality – next guy up.” Of course, there is no hatred between Mahomes and Kelce, and hesitation in passing to Kelce is part of their game plan this season. But it didn’t stop this user on X to vent their frustration in writing,

“Mahomes officially hates Kelce.” 

It also makes sense for the Chiefs to protect Kelce this early into the season. So far Kelce hasn’t taken any major hits and appears fresh. It will appear that Mahomes is giving game reps to those who may need it and at 6-0 you cannot be really complaining. The Chiefs need the Mahomes and Kelce combo to work late in the season especially during the playoffs as they chase a historic 3-peat. Let’s not forget the duo is most prolific when it comes to the postseason.

They have combined for 1,609 yards and 18 touchdowns in 18 playoff games together. Kelce will come into his own and we will see more plays between him and Mahomes, at least that’s what the Chiefs fans will hope. But for now, some of them are agitated over Mahomes’ reluctance to play to Kelce.

Fans left agitated with Mahomes for not finding Kelce in the open

Coming into this game, the Chiefs ranked 29th in red zone efficiency and were fourth from bottom in terms of conversions. But after a much better showing against the 49ers, they improved their TD percentage to 47.8 and their ranking to 25th. But not all fans were happy with how Mahomes overlooked Kelce during that one particular play.

They wrote, “Patrick Mahomes I am under your bed HE WAS WIDE OPEN.” Another fan went all and commented, “TRAVIS SHOULD TELL @PatrickMahomes To F— OFF AND RETIRE SO HE CAN ENJOY HIS LIFE BECAUSE PAT MISSING TRAV OPEN SO MANY TIMES IS BULL—-.”

Well, these comments also come on the back of a misfiring first half Mahomes had vs the Falcons. He passed for just 128 yards while tossing an interception to the Falcons. Mahomes’ two interceptions contributed to a 44.4 passer rating, which is 13 points lower than any of his previous 101 career starts. Kelce had 17 yards, the fifth fewest of any start he’s had with Mahomes.

Getting Mahomes and Kelce to deliver the way they have for the last two Super Bowl-winning seasons will be the key to Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ hopes of a historic 3-peat. But so far, we haven’t seen the famed duo wreak havoc as we have grown accustomed to seeing.

“I miss good Mahomes and Kelce.” Considering the bond they share on and off the field, seeing them not combine as they used to such feelings is pretty normal in Chiefs Kingdom this season.

Another fan went out of his way to write, “Mahomes is jealous.” Well, we don’t know about that considering how Mahomes was full of praise for the TE after their win over the Saints. In the first half, the Chiefs faced a third-and-21 from the Saints’ 43-yard line. Mahomes planned to get the ball to Harrison Butker to make an attempt but Kelce had other ideas. He caught a 5-yard check-down from Mahomes and ran horizontally across the field before lateralling the ball to  RB Samaje Perine. This led Perine to set up a fourth-and-1 chance that the champions converted.

Speaking about the play, Mahomes mentioned, “I’m shaking my head because, before the play. I told him that I was going to throw it to him to get into the field goal range. He underhand shoveled it across the entire field. It’s like I’m talking to Sterling. But that’s Travis man. He’s a special player. Long as he does it and it works, no one is going to say anything.”

Kelce did have a solid game as finished with nine passes for 70 yards with his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, in the stands. So there is always the chance that both he and Mahomes will come alive as the season will lick into next gear, but Kelce fans are hoping to see more of Mahomes’s passes finding the TE in the next games.