Patrick Mahomes vs Travis Kelce: Who Had a Better NFL 2023 Season for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Neither Patrick Mahomes nor Travis Kelce have maintained their usual standard in the 2023 NFL season. The QB has dropped below the numbers that won him the NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and the ring last season. So has been the case with the league’s third-best receiver of 2022.

But how do the Chiefs duo compare among themselves? Despite not being perfect, both have had significant roles to play in the Chiefs’ journey so far. But who did more compared to their past season?

Patrick Mahomes vs Travis Kelce: 2023 season stats

The quarterback has thrown 4183 yards (6th) for 27 touchdowns (6th), with 7 yards/attempt (11th among QB1s), 67.2 pass completion rate (6th), 92.6 passer rating (outside top 10), and 14 interceptions (7tg). His total output is his second-worst since Mahomes started for the Chiefs in 2018. Only in 2019, did the QB throw for fewer yards.

The TE, on the other hand, has been a shadow of his former self. He has 93 (16th) receives for 984 yards (29th), with just 5 (joint 7th) touchdowns. This is Kelce’s third-worst output in terms of receiving yards since he started for the Chiefs in 2014, and the worst in 8 years. He has also scored the second-least number of touchdowns as a starter, the past year being his career-best with 12.

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Clearly, the pair looks to have fallen from grace, and the defending champions have suffered for it. But things get even worse when compared to their past season stats, which were among the best seasons for both in their careers and among the best seasons ever by a player in their respective positions.

Patrick Mahomes vs Travis Kelce: 2022 season

Mahomes won the NFL and Super Bowl MVP for his displays in the last season, becoming only the 7th player in NFL history to win both awards in the same season. He threw 5250 yards (1st) for 41 touchdowns (1st), with 8.1 yards/attempt (2nd), 67.1 pass completion rate (5th among QB1s), 105.2 passer rating (2nd), and 12 interceptions (8th least). He outthrew the league’s second-most productive quarterback Justin Herbert by a whopping 511 yards.

Kelce, on the other hand, had arguably his best season ever with 110 receives (3rd) for 1338 (8th) yards and 12 touchdowns (2nd). With the duo’s stats, the offensive prowess of the Chiefs was unmatched in the league, and the team won their third Super Bowl, a quick succession to the second one.

If the defending champions have a successful postseason run, either of the two, especially Mahomes still may make the case for the MVP, or at least the Super Bowl MVP. But will the problem-laden offense earn the team another ring this year?

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