Kelce Quietly Extends DiMaggio-Like Streak Past Midseason

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five years after whenever he opts to retire, Travis Kelce’s Hall of Fame speech should be unique. After his brother presents him in entertaining fashion, Taylor Swift might unveil a song she wrote for the occasion.

And as Kelce reels off the customary list of all the people who helped him get to that moment, he may want to remember one specific teammate.

Nohl Williams.

On Sept. 28, the rookie cornerback did something no one has done, perhaps ever. He held Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins without a catch. Hopkins, who ended his 2024 season with the Chiefs before signing with Baltimore, saw his 181-game streak end that day at Arrowhead Stadium.

And thanks to Williams and his defensive teammates, and especially coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the NFL that day also crowned a new active leader in the category: Kelce.

travis kelc — Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after a run during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

NFL's longest active streak

The Chiefs’ tight end carries that 183-game streak into a critical clash at Denver (8-2) on Sunday (3:25 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan). Including his 25 career postseason games, the streak stands at 208.

To put the streak in perspective entering Sunday’s showdown with the Broncos, Evan Engram had caught a pass in 110 consecutive NFL games -- before he got on a Houston-bound plane two weeks ago. The Texans became the first NFL team to hold the tight end without a catch since his rookie year, when the Chargers did it on Oct. 8, 2017.

Longest active streaks with reception (Elias Sports Bureau)
Travis Kelce	183
Stefon Diggs	154
Davante Adams	154
Keenan Allen	96
DK Metcalf	91
Tyreek Hill	91

Infancy of the streak in Denver

No. 2 in the long list of games with a Kelce reception was Sept. 14, 2014, in Denver. As he still does today with Patrick Mahomes, Kelce took a short pass from Alex Smith and turned it into a 17-yard gain, setting up a Cairo Santos field goal.

In the fourth quarter on the Chiefs’ final drive, Kelce caught a deep pass from Smith for 20 yards, but Kansas City couldn’t convert at game’s end. Peyton Manning and the Broncos left with a 24-17 win.

jerry rice, roger crai — Jan 22, 1989; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice (80) celebrates with running back Roger Craig (33) against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Darr Beiser-Imagn Images | Darr Beiser-Imagn Images

Kelce has a long way to go to reach Jerry Rice’s all-time record. The wide receiver caught at least one pass in 274 consecutive games from 1985-2004. Kelce would need to play at least five more years to threaten Rice’s mark.

One streak that quietly ended in the 28-21 loss at Buffalo on Nov. 2 was Mahomes’ stretch of 18 straight games with a touchdown pass. Active leader Lamar Jackson extended his streak to 30 in Sunday’s win at Minnesota. Tua Tagovailoa saw his 21-game streak end on Oct. 19.

patrick mahome — Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws the ball in the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Never again miss critical breaking news from Chiefs Kingdom. Register for our totally FREE newsletter on your beloved team, arriving in your email with the most updated information. SIGN UP HERE NOW.