Chiefs’ Kelce Says He’s Most Anticipating This Super Bowl Matchup

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs didn’t see either Super Bowl team in the regular season, and Travis Kelce isn’t playing in the big game for the first time in four years.

But no one loves football more than the Kansas City tight end. So, he’s obviously looking forward to the game, and he’s most anticipating a specific one-on-one battle.

“I'll say this now,” Kelce told his brother and Michael Strahan on Wednesday’s edition of New Heights, “I mean, I'm at least interested in the big matchup on the outside, outside the numbers. Now, that's gonna be a fun f---ing matchup, right there. Two young, up-and-coming stars. You got both of them at the top of their game right now. I'm excited for that matchup.”

Kelce's focus next Sunday

That matchup is Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba against New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Roger Goodell announced each player’s name from the podium at Union Station Kansas City, in the first round of the 2023 draft, hosted by the Chiefs. Selected just three picks apart, Gonzalez went 17th overall to the Patriots and Smith-Njigba 20th to the Seahawks.

In that Kansas City draft, Seattle had also drafted cornerback Devon Witherspoon earlier in the first round, fifth overall.

gonzale — Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the New England Patriots seventeenth overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Smith-Njigba is bidding to become the fourth player to lead the league in receiving yards during the regular season and win the Super Bowl in the same year. Only Drew Pearson (1977), Jerry Rice (1989 and 1994) and Cooper Kupp (2021) – his new teammate with the Seahawks – have accomplished the feat.

The fantastic Seahawks receiver, something Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs lacked in 2025, Smith-Njigba has 1,965 receiving yards, including postseason. He’s aiming to become the third ever to reach 2,000 (Kupp had 2,425 in 2021, Puka Nacua had 2,047 in 2025).

Clutch interception last week

Gonzalez, meanwhile, helped spring the Patriots to the Super Bowl with a game-icing interception in last week’s AFC championship game at Denver. He picked off Jarrett Stidham to protect a 10-7 lead in the fourth quarter, and also sacked the quarterback earlier in the game.

During the postseason, Gonzalez has four passes defensed in three games. Including postseason, over his three-year NFL career, the cornerback has four interceptions and 28 passes defensed in 37 games.

The Patriots’ berth in the Super Bowl means either New England or Kansas City has won the AFC in nine of the past 10 seasons. The only exception was 2021, when Kupp’s Rams narrowly beat the Bengals in Super Bowl 51. Without Cincinnati’s 27-24 overtime victory at Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC title game that year, the Chiefs would’ve played in six straight Super Bowls.

The Pittsburgh draft is less than three months away, Chiefs Kingdom. But you’ve already located your first-round pick, right here with OnSI. And don’t forget to register for our FREE newsletter with the latest information sent each day … SIGN UP HERE NOW.