Travis Kelce Names NFL Playoff Team That Surprised Him

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are enjoying a bye in the first round of the NFL playoffs after finishing the 2024 regular season with a stellar 15-2 record -- enough for them to earn a No. 1 seed in the AFC. It is hardly a surprise that the Chiefs are back in the playoffs. After all, they are the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. But one team that has left Kelce surprised for making the postseason is the Minnesota Vikings.

"Honestly, I don't know why. I didn't think Minnesota was going to be that dominant," Kelce said while talking with his brother and former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce about playoff-bound teams that surprised them the most ( via "New Heights" podcast ).

“Sam Darnold has been playing his tail off," added Travis, who also mentioned the Washington Commanders and the Denver Broncos as teams that defied expectations.

The Vikings are the No. 5 seed in the NFC following a 14-3 regular season. Not many thought prior to the season that the Vikings were going to win many games, considering the offseason split with Kirk Cousins and the arrival of Darnold, who was coming off an unimpressive stint with the San Francisco 49ers as a backup QB.

But as it turned out, Darnold put together his best season as a pro with the Vikings, passing for a career-high 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in 17 starts for Minnesota.

The Vikings can continue writing a better story this season when they play the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC Wild Card Game on Monday. The game will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, because of the California wildfires that have postponed several sporting events in LA.

As for Travis Kelce and the Chiefs, they will open their playoff campaign either Jan. 18 or 19 against an opponent to be determined this weekend.