From the second Kansas City defeated the Bills, the debate began. There were so many storylines over the fortnight leading up to the Superbowl. Could the Chiefs three-pete? Could their defense contain Saquon Barkey, and could Jalen Hurts redeem himself in this rematch of two years ago?
There was another huge storyline that had nothing to do with the Eagles. It was whether or not HC Andy Reid was better than Bill Belichick, Rob Gronkowski was better than Travis Kelce, and Tom Brady was better than Patrick Mahomes. Obviously, the results make it much harder to defend the Chiefs in this debate, but there is still a debate to be had. If they had won, the calls to dethrone the Patriots’ triumvirate would have grown louder and louder.
As a Foxboro resident who was a season ticket holder during the Brady years, I have a unique perspective. And I’m here to tell you this is closer than you think, Sunday’s game notwithstanding.
This is Part 1 of a three-part series. This article is focused on Gronk vs Kelce. Part 2 will be tomorrow, comparing Belichick and Reid. And part 3 will deal with Brady vs Mahomes.
Tale of the Tape:
Kelce has played 32 more regular season games, which is two full seasons’ worth of games. In those 16 extra games, he’s caught nearly 400 more passes and 3000 more receiving yards than Gronk. Gronk has 15 more TDs than Kelce, leading 92 to 77, and he has an edge at yards. per catch; 15 to 12.1. Kelce has averaged seven more receiving yards. per game, 71.7 to 64.7.
And the chasm in the playoffs is even wider in favor of Kelce. He has now played in three more career playoff games than Gronk, yet has a massive 80-catch advantage, 170 to 98. He has 2078 receiving yards, while Gronk only managed 1389. Kelce has a 20-yard. per game advantage over Gronk. Kelce has the edge in playoff TDs, 20 to 15. Gronk does have a four-ring to three-ring advantage, winning four Superbowls to Kelce’s three.
Each man is 35 years. old. I point this out because Gronk has been out of the game since 2021. And while it seems like Kelce has taken a step back, at age 35, his stats still paint a different picture. Kelce has only missed six games since the 2014 season. And he’s been remarkably consistent. He has caught over 90 catches for seven consecutive seasons. Ironically, the Chiefs have been to seven consecutive AFC Championship games while going to five Superbowls. If there is any leakage in his numbers, this past season saw his career lows in receiving yards. per reception and TDs. There has been some regression, but he’s still playing into his mid-30s, while Gronk tapped out at age 32. Even if he dips into the 80-catch range, he’s a tremendous weapon for the Chiefs.
FINAL VERDICT:
I know it’s tough to say, as a huge fan of Gronk, especially in Patriot Country, in the shadow of Gillette Stadium, but I have to give Kelce the edge. His numbers, for the most part, are better than Gronk’s. He has twice as many Pro Bowls… 10, compared to Gronk’s five. They have the same amount of All-Pro’s, with Gronk winning one extra Superbowl, four to three. And each man was on the All 2010’s team.
I think the biggest edge that tips the scales for Kelce is that if he wasn’t on the Chiefs for the last seven seasons; Patrick Mahomes doesn’t win at anywhere near the same pace, or have five Superbowl appearances. Brady would have won just as much without Gronkowski. Brady already had three under his belt before Gronk appeared on the scene. He missed the entire playoff run in the 2016 season, and was only a sidecar in the Superbowl win with Tampa Bay, only catching eight passes in the four playoff games.
KELCE > GRONKOWSKI
