Chiefs’ star quarterback Patrick Mahomes gives his ‘brother’ Travis Kelce some tough love while discussing his ability to be a quarterback. He even uses a unique “ping-pong test” to drive his point home.
It is no secret that Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have developed a brotherly bond over the seven years they have spent together. They have rewritten the Kansas City Chiefs’ records together, and this positive spirit reflects both on and off the field. Despite this camaraderie, Mahomes gives Kelce some tough love about his ability to be a quarterback.
Practice Doesn’t Always Make Perfect
Speaking on the Kelce Brothers’ ‘New Heights’ podcast, Mahomes was quick to respond with a firm ‘No’ when asked if Kelce could be a quarterback. While the duo may have recently crossed 50 all-time touchdown combinations in the 2023 season, Mahomes strongly believes that the stats wouldn’t be the same if the roles were reversed.
This belief has strengthened after seeing the Chiefs’ tight end’s efforts at practice. This rather strong opinion triggered a roar of laughter from the Kelce brothers, with Travis even going on to say, “He isn’t the only one who thinks that.”
The starting quarterback who had led the team to three Super Bowls went on to say that while Kelce does have the physical ability to be a QB, he doesn’t have the attention span to get the job done. Kelce seemingly agrees with the notion that he does tend to ‘black out’ at times.
The All-Important Ping-Pong Test
Kelce’s weak performance in practice wasn’t the only thing that made him fail the Mahomes test. Mahomes’ second test involved a similar sport: ping-pong! Mahomes goes on record about the same, saying, “If you’ve ever played Travis at ping pong, you’ll know why he can’t play quarterback.”
Even Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid would agree! Both Kelce and Mahomes concur that Kelce has a “pitiful throwing arm,” which snuffs out the flame on his quarterback dreams. And why wouldn’t it? Kelce admits that he can’t look Coach Reid in the eyes, thanks to his throwing arm.
His high school and university positions are unlikely to come back to him. It’s safe to say that we will not be seeing Travis Kelce take up the role of a quarterback anytime soon—even if Patrick Mahomes is injured.
