30-17 home victor<\/a>y over the Lions. He also has higher yards-per-game (53.5) and yards-per-target (8.7) numbers than a season ago, while on pace to double his 2024 touchdown total.<\/p>\nSo what\u2019s changed for Kelce this season?<\/p>\n
Chiefs coach Andy Reid wasn\u2019t ready to get too in-depth during an interview with reporters Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been giving him a lot of Geritol,\u201d Reid said with a smile, \u201cand he really has progressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
OK, so it\u2019s probably not senior-citizen multivitamins making a difference.<\/p>\n
What probably has, though? Kelce arrived at summer workouts \u2014 and then training camp \u2014 in noticeably better condition than a year ago.<\/p>\n
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he started to sense Kelce might be skinnier during their offseason golf outings, though it was difficult to know for sure at the time.<\/p>\n
When May\u2019s organized team activities arrived, however, Mahomes said it was clear that Kelce was moving better on the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could see that his body was in good shape,\u201d Mahomes said, \u201cand he was moving faster than he even was the year before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mahomes also commented on Kelce\u2019s new look during the Chiefs\u2019 news conference before their Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Kelce, when asked if this might be his last season, told a reporter, \u201cI\u2019m feeling young, and I\u2019m feeling ready to rock.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few seconds later, Mahomes \u2014 seated next to Kelce on a raised platform \u2014 looked over at his No. 87 Chiefs T-shirt he\u2019d worn for walk-through practice that day.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook how loose that shirt is, man,\u201d Mahomes said with a grin. \u201cIt looks great.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy God,\u201d Kelce quipped in response. \u201cThis thing was a little tighter last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Per the NFL Films video, Kelce wanted to be sure to credit Olajuwon for some inspiration on Sunday.<\/p>\n
While appearing to talk to rookie running back Brashard Smith, Kelce quickly realized that speaking about Olajuwon wasn\u2019t going to be a good conversation starter; Smith was born in 2003, which was one year after Olajuwon retired.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou weren\u2019t even a part of the \u201990s. You would\u2019ve saw Hakeem Olajuwon hit them with what he called the \u2018Dream Shake,’\u201d Kelce said on the sideline in the NFL Films video. \u201cDo your research. You\u2019ve got to do your research.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelce also said that the Lions \u201cdon\u2019t wanna see me in the post, man,\u201d likening his actions to a basketball player in the paint.<\/p>\n
Mahomes said he was impressed with Kelce\u2019s savvy shimmy against the Lions.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s still got it, man. He\u2019s got the vet moves,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cYou get up there a little older, you know how to use the other guy\u2019s athleticism against him. And I feel like I have a couple of those as well. Maybe not the shake yet. I\u2019m going to have to learn that one from him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tonyan said he believes Kelce\u2019s recent production is well-earned.<\/p>\n
In his eight NFL seasons, Tonyan, 31, said he\u2019s never played with a 36-year-old teammate who never takes a day off from practice. That is, until he started working alongside Kelce this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s constantly running, constantly finishing, and yeah, he looks great,\u201d Tonyan said. \u201cHe\u2019s running great, and he\u2019s making consistent plays. So he\u2019s where we need him to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mahomes believes this version of Kelce began with his offseason mindset. After the Chiefs fell short in the Super Bowl last season, Mahomes could sense a different type of focus from his teammate and close friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could tell just from the mentality that he had that he was going out there to prove something,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cAnd he\u2019s done a great job starting off this year.\u201d<\/p>\n