Kelce passes Tim Brown, closing on No. 5 all-time — SkimNews
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- Travis Kelce passed Tim Brown to claim sole possession of seventh on the NFL's all-time receptions list, finishing with two receptions in the Chiefs' 30-27 Week 4 win over the Raiders to reach 1,096 career catches.
- Cris Carter (No. 6, 1,101) and Marvin Harrison (No. 5, 1,102) are the next targets — Kelce needs just 5 and 6 more receptions, respectively, to pass them.
- At his current pace of 4 receptions per game (16 total across the first four games), Kelce is projected to pass Carter in Week 6 and Harrison in Week 7.
- Even at that 4-catch average across a full 17 games, Kelce would finish with 68 receptions for a career 1,148 — still fifth, behind Jason Witten's 1,228 at No. 4.
- Catching Witten would require 132 more receptions, which exceeds Kelce's career single-season high of 110 and his 17-game average of 95 — the article says it would likely happen in a 2027 season if he plays.
- At 36 and in his 14th season, Kelce has not announced a retirement decision, but the article notes it 'wouldn't come as a shock' if he hangs up his cleats after this year.
Why it matters: Kelce is locking in top-five status among any pass-catcher in NFL history, not just tight ends — but the math says No. 4 (Witten, 1,228) is effectively out of reach this season, meaning wherever he lands on the all-time list at retirement is likely where he'll finish. His 4-catches-per-game pace through four games sets up a Week 6-7 climb into fifth, giving the Chiefs a reliable milestone chase to follow through the rest of the year.
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