The No. 87 jersey has become iconic for tight ends, but former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski made it clear he doesn’t fully agree with comparisons to Chiefs standout Travis Kelce.

During the appearance at Dudes on Dudes, Gronkowski expressed his opinion on the same.

“It's really like not a comparison. I mean, you can compare us, but we're two totally different players to tell you the truth. It all depends on what type of scheme you're in,” Gronkowski said.

In his 11-year career, Gronk recorded 9,286 receiving yards with a catch rate of 64.7%. Whereas, Kelce has 13,002 yards with a catch rate of 71.6% in 13 years.

"What they ask him to do, I could not replicate what he's doing. If you ask him to do what I was doing with the New England Patriots, I don't think he could replicate, he could do it. Like I could do what he's doing, but I wouldn't have been able to replicate what he's doing with the Chiefs," Gronk added.

Gronkowski is a traditional tight end who plays with power, strong blocking, and is a reliable option for long passes.

On the other hand, Kelce has a modern style where he plays more like a wide receiver, using smart route running ability, finding open space, and moving smoothly over the field.

Beyond the comparison with Gronkowski, Kelce continues to draw praise from former teammates who have played alongside him.

Former Chiefs Teammate Mitch Morse Shares Honest Thoughts on Travis Kelce

Mitch Morse reflected on his years playing alongside Kelce in Kansas City. He described how the tight end carried himself even before becoming a global name.

“I mean, charismatic, and talk about comforting eyes. My goodness, I see it. I mean, I know why Taylor did it, right? He’s a brutally handsome dude,” Morse said.

Morse added that Kelce remained approachable in the locker room and treated people with consistency even after his rise in the NFL and his increased public attention.

“He’s just a good. He’s a good person. And what you see is what you get and then some,” Morse added.

Morse was drafted by the Chiefs in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played alongside Kelce for four seasons and then joined the Buffalo Bills in 2019.

“I’m often asked, like, ‘What’s Travis really like?’” Morse explained. “I’m like, ‘No, he’s even cooler. He’s even sweeter. He’s even nicer. He takes the time.’”

He even recalled moments from their time together when Kelce balanced team life with the growing spotlight on his off-field appearances, and he still stayed connected with teammates in a grounded way.

With Kelce returning for his 14th NFL season, how do you think he is going to perform this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore