The three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end was sporting a beige silk shirt, black hat and his new mustache on his way into Jaguar Football Stadium.
Mahomes, meanwhile, was wearing his customary sun glasses and a red team-logo-emblazoned collared shirt.
To mark the occasion, the Chiefs’ social media account labelled Kelce ‘summertime Trav’ and Mahomes ‘Polo Pat.’
The game comes after Kelce’s girlfriend Taylor Swift and her fans faced threats of terrorism in Austria this week.
Austrian authorities on Friday announced a third arrest in connection with the foiled conspiracy to attack three now-canceled Swift concerts, even as disappointed fans charmed Vienna by trading friendship bracelets and singing the pop star’s songs in the streets.
The main suspect, a 19-year-old, planned to target onlookers gathered outside Ernst Happel Stadium — up to 30,000 each night, with another 65,000 inside the venue — with knives or homemade explosives during the concert on Thursday or Friday. The suspect hoped to ‘kill as many people as possible,’ authorities said.
A 15-year-old was also interrogated but was not arrested. Their names were not released, in line with Austrian privacy rules.
Swift is still set to travel to London’s Wembley stadium for five concerts between Aug. 15 and 20 to close the European leg of her record-setting Eras Tour.
Back in Jacksonville, Kelce and Mahomes are expected to see some action against the Jaguars on Saturday night.
‘Ones for a quarter, twos in the second quarter, threes the third quarter, the fours in the fourth quarter,’ head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday on how he plans to split up playing time against the Jaguars. ‘We’ll just keep with that.’
Reid’s philosophy on preseason preparation is perhaps in contrast to multiple teams when it comes to preseason games.
It’s become common to see some of the NFL’s biggest stars, especially at starting quarterback, either not suiting up or playing in any of the exhibition games.
Reid, however, prefers that his players receive some live action.
‘I allow them to get in the swing of things,’ Reid said. ‘The ones know how to do that, both sides of the ball, they know how to go about doing that. Somewhere you got to get on there and shoot, and so it gives them an opportunity to do that.’
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is fine with whatever playing time he receives against the Jaguars.
But don’t be surprised if Mahomes is on the sideline after a series or two.
Mahomes played a total of six snaps in the 2023 preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints. He totaled 11 plays against the Chicago Bears in 2022 and four snaps against the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.
The lack of late-summer playing time doesn’t bother Mahomes, who joked he doesn’t mind absorbing a hit from a defender during the preseason.
‘I always want to get hit, but not hit hard,’ Mahomes said. ‘So, if I can just throw the ball and one of those defensive ends just wants to give me a little push, that’s all I need so it’s cool.
‘I like playing in the preseason, honestly. Getting in there, try to make sure we’re doing stuff the right way and getting out, try to keep everybody healthy.’
Mahomes’ comments on execution and avoiding injuries are what the Chiefs hope to accomplish in Jacksonville.
When it comes to the former, the Chiefs want to evaluate players either competing for a starting spot or a roster spot.
And that game is their first moment to show what they can do.
‘All those young guys, I love to see how they compete,’ Reid said. ‘The higher the draft picks, they’re going to be in there. A little bit better competition, so I want to see how they handle that.’
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo agreed with Reid.
‘Guys that haven’t had a lot of time back there, I’d like to see those guys,’ Spagnuolo said. ‘You know all the young guys, obviously.
‘I mean, I told them in the meeting, the guys that I’ve been around that are here, I know which guys are tough and which guys are fake tough. I mean, I’m trying to find out if guys are tough enough to play in this league and do the things we need to do.’