LeBron said it with his chest
Travis Kelce may not have wanted this honor from LeBron JamesAP
NBA legend LeBron James did not hesitate to give his true opinion on Travis Kelce when asked to rank the best NFL tight ends of all time.
Watch LeBron James name his TE Mount Rushmore
Praise from the 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Los Angeles Lakers star would usually be the highest honor, especially for a fellow Ohio sports icon who grew up watching him. But what Kelce might not appreciate is the Kansas City Chiefs legend who James booted off his “Tight End Mount Rushmore” in order to fit him in.
Is Travis Kelce the best tight end of all time?
Before he goes full-time into acting with Adam Sandler or traveling the world with his girlfriend Taylor Swift, the 34-year-old hopes to add to his NFL legacy with an elusive Super Bowl three-peat alongside Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City this year.
However, there’s an argument to be made that he is already the GOAT tight end. Kelce has won three Lombardi trophies, made nine straight Pro Bowls, and holds countless NFL postseason records that prove he can get it done when it matters most.
On the other hand, some might argue he isn’t even the best Chiefs tight end of all time, an honor that could go to Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez played 12 seasons with Kansas City, racking up over 900 catches and 10,000 receiving yards.
James, who could have been an all-time great pass-catcher himself, put Gonzalez right after Kelce on his Mount Rushmore at first. He filled it out with Kellen Winslow Sr and Shannon Sharpe, before changing his mind and insisting that Rob Gronkowski had to be included. To do so, he relegated Tony to an honorable mention, which caused Chiefs fans some anguish.
“Unc needs to stick to basketball,” one comment said bluntly on TikTok.
“No way gronk isn’t better than Kelce,” said another who would have left Travis off the list.
Changing the game
Gonzalez was one of the pioneers who changed the tight end position, giving Kelce the freedom to play more like a wide receiver and break receiving records. His number 88 is retired by the Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, where he played five more seasons at the end of his career.
Despite playing in a less passing-friendly era, he still ranks top 10 in NFL history in career receptions (1,325), receiving touchdowns (111) and receiving yards (15,127).
LeBron has a big enough battle to fight against Michael Jordan in the basketball GOAT debate, but now he’s managed to make NFL fans mad as well.
