Travis Kelce faces increased competition for Kansas City Chiefs place after slow start

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed tight end Jody Fortson to their 53-man roster, with regular starter Travis Kelce having endured a mixed start to the 2023 NFL season

The Kansas City Chiefs have added tight end Jody Fortson to their 53-man squad, amid a dip in form from regular starter Travis Kelce.

Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has had a mixed start to the new NFL season, catching eight passes for 69 yards without scoring a touchdown. However, the 34-year old-bounced back with a stronger performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, ending on seven catches for 89 yards.

KC head coach Andy Reid already has tight end Noah Gray at his disposal, who has started the season impressively. Now, the Chiefs have signed Fortson to an active roster contract, bolstering their ranks from the practice squad.

Fortson, 28, was previously part of the team's active roster and practice squad after being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chiefs in 2019. He spent the summer training with the Miami Dolphins but returned to Missouri after being released on August 25.

Throughout his career, Forston has made 14 receptions for 155 yards, along with four touchdowns in his 19 NFL appearances. His last appearance in the league was in 2022, during which he played 13 times for the Chiefs.

Fans have praised the signing, with one fan taking to Twitter to say: "This was a good move. The former WR now TE should be used on Monday Night Football," while another added: "Great moves! Excited to see TE Jody Fortson on the active roster. Solid additions to the team! ".

As for the recent dip in form experienced by teammate Kelce, it seems that the future Hall of Famer is maintaining a balanced perspective after the team's four-game winning streak. Speaking on "New Heights", he said: "[I was] struggling in terms of stats. I was still playing winning football, and that's all that [...] matters.

"I was accountable this game. I didn't have any drops which was what happened in Atlanta to make me feel like I had a bad game, but I still didn't have an outstanding game. There's a lot that goes into having a great game. I helped my team find a way to win, and that is all that will ever matter."

Similarly, coach Reid expressed his confidence in his player, stating: "I know people are saying that he is old or whatever, has distractions and all this [but] the defenses don't think that. We have another receiver [Rice] that plays opposite him that has a lot of yards and catches, and that's how this thing goes."

"He works his tail off, and he hasn't lost his step and all those things, and he's not distracted. That's not the case. People are making sure they have him taken care of by some of these defenses."