The Kansas City Chiefs‘ Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce received a high compliment as an NFL scout compared them to one of the NBA’s most iconic partnerships by likening them to Karl Malone and John Stockton.
Malone and Stockton shared a legendary partnership with the Utah Jazz, becoming one of the most iconic duos in NBA history as they led the Jazz to 18 consecutive playoff appearances and two NBA Finals appearances.
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And with quarterback Mahomes and tight end Kelce back in training camp for the Chiefs, they don’t seem to have lost their magic that has spurred them to four rings in six years as they seem set to continue their explosive synergy.
“The innate timing and connection between Mahomes and Travis Kelce are Hall of Fame-type of stuff,” the scout told Athlon Sports. “It’s like John Stockton and Karl Malone in basketball.”
Their on-court chemistry was exceptional, particularly in executing the pick-and-roll technique that allowed them to go on to blow teams away.
Between 1985-2003, Malone averaged 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, while Stockton averaged 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.
And from between 2018-present Mahomes has completed 459 passes to Kelce for 5992 yards and 45 touchdowns on 626 targets in one of the most successful QB-TE partnerships in the history of the sport.
Scouts say Mahomes and Kelce set for a big year
Mahomes and Kelce struggled in the latter portions of 2023, being unable to link up and find the devastating touchdowns they used in previous years, but it turned out to not be too big of a deal at the end of the season as they won the Super Bowl anyway.
But scout warns their NFL rivals that it was a one off and that the pair are looking as good as they did before the end of 2023 as they bid for an unprecedented third ring in a row.
“We all know how good Patrick Mahomes is,” the scout added. “[I’m] not sure who’s going to stand in his way and Kelce is up there in years, but he takes good care of himself and is always in great shape.
“People can say he’s gone Hollywood or whatever, but who cares who he’s dating, honestly. The relationship with Taylor Swift didn’t stop them from winning the Super Bowl again last season.”
