2024 Super Bowl: Ex-NFL star tells the 49ers how to stop Chiefs TE Travis Kelce

The San Francisco 49ers are set to face a remarkable offense in the Super Bowl LVIII. Fortunately for them, a former NFL star has shared a huge advice on how to stop Travis Kelce, tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs.

It has been a great 2023 NFL season for the 49ers. The NFC West team boasts an impressive defense, which has helped them secure victory in several games, but the most important one is yet to come.

The 49ers will face off against the Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada. It promises to be an exciting game, featuring two powerful teams that are sure to deliver a spectacular show at Allegiant Stadium.

Luke Kuechly tells the 49ers how to stop Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have forged one of the most feared partnerships in the NFL. The tight end is the quarterback’s most potent weapon, and together, they seem unstoppable.

In the AFC Championship game, Kelce caught all 11 passes that Mahomes sent to him. The tight end finished the game with 116 receiving yards and one touchdown, leaving the Ravens unable to figure out how to nullify him.

Now, the Chiefs are poised to confront one of the best defenses against this position. The 49ers allowed only 759 yards and four touchdowns to tight ends during the 2023 season, which doesn’t bode well for Travis Kelce’s hopes of having a great game.

Despite their formidable defense against tight ends, the 49ers could benefit from some additional advice on how to stop the future Hall of Famer. Luke Kuechly has now offered guidance that could prove helpful during the 2024 Super Bowl.

“You try to study as much as you can, you try to anticipate routes,” Kuechly said during an interview on ‘The Up and Adams Show.’. “He runs normal routes, he runs fades — like the back-shoulder ball he caught against Baltimore — but nothing he does is truly on script, so he can come up, find a window, move out of a window. He has the freedom to find space and sit down.

“What we always talk about with guys like that: You have to keep your eyes on Travis. You can’t take your eyes off of him and put them on Mahomes. If he comes out of a break, you think it’s a typical out-route, you put your eyes back to the quarterback and you lose sight of Kelce. And then, once you lose sight of him, Mahomes knows that, Kelce knows that. Now, he’s going to pivot and get open.”

Travis Kelce, tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs

A seven-time Pro Bowler, Kuechly suggested that the 49ers should prioritize focusing on Kelce rather than Mahomes. The tight end can easily draw coverage away, and the quarterback’s talent enables them to create astonishing plays, even in seemingly challenging situations.

Will Travis Kelce retire after the 2024 Super Bowl?

Several rumors have suggested that both Andy Reid and Travis Kelce could retire this year. Both have had incredible careers, and it seems like they could end them by lifting their last Vince Lombardi trophy.

However, Kelce recently revealed that he wants to continue playing to pursue more Super Bowls. Having already created a huge dynasty alongside Mahomes, he recognizes that their legacy could become even more substantial.