Who is a better tight end, the Gronk or Travis Kelce? This debate has picked up steam ever since Kelce has proven himself on the field. Even though both are destined to be in the Hall of Fame and probably belong on Mount Rushmore of the Tight Ends, fans can’t just accept the notion that both are great and want a concrete answer to the question of who is a more complete Tight End. The debate recently caught even more steam when Travis was purported to not be an able blocker.
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The argument is that while Kelce is a better receiving TE, Gronk was a better blocker who was equally good at catching balls. However, a disgruntled Chiefs fan took it upon himself to bust the notion that Travis is not an able blocker and therefore, not a complete package.
An X(formerly Twitter) account posted some interesting stats to dispel the misconception about the 3-time Super Bowl winner’s blocking. As per the post, Gronkowski’s average run block score throughout his career was 70.5, compared to Kelce’s 65.3. There isn’t much difference in pass blocking with Gronk slightly edging Travis by 69.2 to the latter’s 66.7.
He also pointed out that the Chiefs TE has more contested catches with 60 and a lower drop rate of 5.6% compared to the former Patriots Tight End’s 47 catches and 7% drop rate. Travis has already passed Rob’s receiving yards with 11,328 yards to the latter’s 9286 yards, though Kelce has nearly 300 more receptions and 25 more starts. Gronk still has more Touchdowns than the 3-time Super Bowl winner.
This is a funny misconception.
Gronks average run blocking grade over 11 yrs is 70.5 & Kelce over 10 yrs is 65.3
Pass blocking is Gronk at 69.2 & Kelce at 66.7.
Is Gronk the higher rated blocker on average? Yes. Is Kelce a WR that cannot block? Hell no.
Saying someone is… https://t.co/PhimnDvein
— All Chief’d Up! (@AllChiefdUp) May 11, 2024
Travis already has seven 1,000-yard seasons compared to Gronkowski’s four. While both of them have played 22 matches in the postseason, Travis leads the Tight Ends in receiving yards with 1903. His 165 playoff receptions are by far the highest among every position in the NFL, even surpassing great Jerry Rice.
However, the post received mixed reactions from the fans. Most Chiefs fans believe that while Travis is slightly behind in blocking, he is a lot better receiver than Gronk ever was. Kelce’s route running is similar to a wideout and has more variety in his game than Rob, who was just a big guy. Many pointed out that numbers don’t tell the whole story as someone who has watched the play can tell that Gronkowski was a better blocker.
A fan pointed out that Gronk’s blocking is the reason he isn’t playing anymore, while Kelce still is despite both being of the same age. Fans said,
Not to mention that the catches aren’t why he’s the better receiving TE, his route running, ability to process and react to coverage real time and fluidity are on par with top WRs in the game. Gronk is much farther from kelce as a receiver than kelce is from gronk as a blocker.
— Chris (@Chris16527) May 12, 2024
Another chimed in and added,
Also, Gronk had a route tree that looked like a signpost whereas Kelce is considered some kind of route running savant. Gronk was good because he was huge, and that’s really about it.
— Nope (@ds_massie) May 12, 2024
A fan wrote,
These stats are not real . How about ask the players that played against both and each and every single one of them will tell you how far ahead Gronk was when it came to physicality and being an integral part of the run game.
— Bears Stooge (@bears_stooge) May 12, 2024
Someone stated,
Dude you bieng disingenuous on this one. Just watch the tape. Gronk finishes people into the turf. Analytics sometimes lie because all stats are not the same. But kelce fans also have no need to justify his status as one of the best to ever do it.
— Dale (@dalejonesjr23) May 12, 2024
A user commented,
Stop it. Kelece isn’t close to Gronk is run or pass protection. Both elite TEs but Gronk is the better all around TE
— Brennan (@BrennanWard9707) May 12, 2024
Others said,
It’s true Gronk was a beast and because he chose to plow people over when blocking is the reason why he’s no longer playing. Trav knows you only have to disrupt a lineman to provide a path for a runner. That’s why he’s still playing!!
— Debsun1 (@debsun123) May 12, 2024
While most fans continue to fight over this, both players have been respectful towards each other when asked about who is a better Tight End.
Rob Gronkowski And Travis Kelce’s Thoughts On Comparison
On an episode of the New Heights podcast, where Gronk made an appearance, he and Travis were asked by Jason if the constant comparison bothers each other. Gronk asserted that when he was still playing and Trav was just coming on the scene, the competition between them made him better and when Kelce started putting up 1000 yards regularly, Gronk had to up his game. Kelce’s consistent performances earned him the respect of Rob.
According to Rob Gronkowski, the Chiefs’ TE has revolutionized the position. While he acknowledged that Kelce is a much better receiving Tight End, given their contrasting playing styles and the fact that they played in different offensive schemes, he doesn’t want to have the final judgment on who is a better Tight End. Both were utilized differently and have unique qualities.
While fans can quibble all they want, both players have a certain level of respect and camaraderie which makes sports great. Meanwhile, we just need to sit back and marvel at the fact that they got to see two of the greatest players in their position play in our lifetimes.
