Inside the Playbook: How Travis Kelce’s Route Running Redefines Tight End Excellence

Travis Kelce has established himself as one of the best tight ends in NFL history thanks to his exceptional route running skills.

At 6’5 and 260 pounds, Kelce possesses a rare combination of size, athleticism, and ball skills that allows him to dominate defenses. While Kelce’s physical abilities are impressive, it is his mastery of route running that truly sets him apart and makes him such a potent weapon in the Chiefs’ offense. Let’s take a deeper look at how Kelce has redefined the tight end position through his route running excellence.

Versatility

Unlike many traditional tight ends who primarily run seam routes and in-breaking cuts, Kelce excels at running a full route tree. He has the speed and quickness to run deep outs, the agility to execute sharp slants and drags across the middle, and the size to muscle defenders on fades in the red zone. Kelce can line up anywhere on the field – attached to the line, in the slot, or even out wide. This versatility makes him a true matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

Linebackers struggle to keep up with Kelce’s long speed on go routes and posts down the seams. Safeties struggle to change direction quickly enough to mirror his sharp slant and option routes. And slot corners are often too small to battle Kelce physically at the line of scrimmage or fight through blocks on underneath routes.

Next Gen Stats has explored Kelce’s route versatility through data. In 2019, Kelce ran a route on 38% of his pass plays from an inline position, 30% from the slot, and 32% out wide. He also lined up in the backfield on 2% of plays. No other tight end comes close to matching Kelce’s route diversity from various alignments all over the formation.

His ability to line up and succeed from any position is a testament to his athleticism and football IQ. Defenses can never zero in on where Kelce will line up or what type of route he may run. They have to account for him running the entire route tree from multiple spots on the field. This unpredictable versatility is a huge advantage for Kelce and makes him extremely difficult to game plan against.

High Football IQ

In addition to his physical talents, Kelce’s route running prowess stems from his high football IQ. He understands defensive schemes and leverages that knowledge to find holes in the coverage. Kelce is adept at reading pre-snap looks from defenses and adjusting his routes accordingly to sit down in open zones or break off early from jams at the line.

There is even a famous story from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes about Kelce essentially “making up his own routes” during plays to find space based on the defense’s alignment. Kelce’s field vision and feel for space allow him to improvise routes to exploit weaknesses he identifies before the snap.

This cerebral approach keeps defenses constantly guessing about his intentions. They can’t simply react to pattern-matching because Kelce may run something completely different based on the defensive look. His ability to diagnose coverages and adjust on the fly opens up throwing windows that other tight ends cannot find. It is this type of route running savvy and football smarts that separates Kelce from his peers.

Yards After Catch Ability

While Kelce is a technician as a route runner, he is also a highly effective runner after securing the catch. At 6’5 and 260 pounds, Kelce possesses an intriguing combination of size, strength, and speed. This physical profile allows him to break tackles from would-be defenders and gain additional yards that other tight ends cannot.

Kelce ranks near the top of the league among tight ends in yards after catch nearly every season. In 2021, for example, Kelce led all NFL tight ends with 762 yards after catch – over 200 more yards than the next closest tight end. His combination of size, power, and short-area quickness makes him almost impossible to bring down with the initial defender. Kelce consistently fights through arm tackles and drags defenders for extra yards.

This yards after catch ability is another element that makes Kelce so dangerous. Defenses must account for him not just as a receiver running routes, but also as a ball carrier who can potentially break big plays after securing short passes. His YAC skills are on full display in highlight reels showcasing spectacular one-handed grabs and broken tackle runs. It is yet another tool in Kelce’s route running toolbox that offenses must be wary of.

Impact on the Position

Kelce’s unprecedented success as a route running tight end has opened the door for a new generation of players at the position. No longer are teams content with tight ends who can only block and run basic seam routes. The model that Kelce has established demands that tight ends be versatile pass catchers who can align all over the formation and run the entire route tree.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2013, Kelce has shown NFL teams what is possible if a tight end focuses more on receiving than just blocking. He proved that tight ends with his skillset could be primary weapons in the passing attack, not just ancillary parts of the offense. Kelce’s production and accomplishments have changed how front offices evaluate tight end prospects, looking more for wide receiver-like traits in bigger packages.

Young tight ends entering the league are now modeled after Kelce’s style of play. Players like Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson, and Kyle Pitts have all demonstrated route running abilities more akin to wideouts than traditional inline blockers. They can be full-time pass catchers who command double teams rather than specialized roles that focus on blocking. Kelce showed the NFL that the tight end position could be reimagined in the modern, pass-heavy era.

In Conclusion

Through eight prolific seasons, Travis Kelce has cemented his status as not just the best tight end of his generation, but perhaps of all time. At the heart of Kelce’s dominance is his unmatched route running talent. His versatility to align anywhere and run any route, high football IQ to exploit defensive weaknesses, and yards after catch skills make him a complete mismatch nightmare that defenses struggle to solve.

Kelce has taken a position known for rigorous blocking and simplified receiving roles and completely changed expectations. He has proven that tight ends can be every-down weapons in the passing attack, not just role players. With his combination of size, speed, and technical route savvy, Kelce is the prototype for the modern NFL tight end – redefining excellence at the position. His mastery of route running will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on offensive scheming and tight end evaluation for years to come.