Travis Kelce and playoff football have a special bond. One that continues to stand the test of time, with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end rising to the big occasion once more to steer the Super Bowl champions past the Houston Texans on Saturday night.

Texans tight end Dalton Schultz hailed him as a ‘walking legend’ as the pair embraced on the field after Kansas City’s 23-14 win in their Divisional Round clash, paying tribute to his Hall of Fame-bound counterpart after seeing yet another NFL record fall.

Kelce finished with 117 rushing yards on the night to break a tie with Jerry Rice for the most 100-yard receiving games in NFL playoff history as he lifted his tally to nine.

Within it came a 49-yard catch-and-run to help set up Kareem Hunt’s first-half touchdown, as well as an 11-yard scoring grab from Patrick Mahomes’ diving throw in the fourth quarter.

“Big time players make big times plays in big time games,” Mahomes told reporters. “That’s how simple it is. He never lets the moment be bigger than it is.

“He just executes at a high level like he does in the the regular season.

“It’s playoff Trav, he’s a leader, it’s what he lives for, playing in these moments.”

Kelce had faced scrutiny early on during the season for his apparent slow start, before posting a career-low 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns. At the age of 35, the four-time First Team All-Pro has faced question marks over his ability to continue playing a defining role within the Chiefs offense.

Saturday was a reminder that, these days, he is a totally different proposition in the playoffs.

“You know 87 was gonna show up whenever it’s a big time moment and he did that,” Mahomes said in his on-field interview after the game.

“Everybody was asking, where’s Travis Kelce at? I think he showed the world where he’s at.”

One of the NFL’s great tandems claimed another record on Saturday as Mahomes and Kelce linked up for their 18th touchdown in their playoff careers, the most by any other duo in NFL postseason history.

When a stuttering Chiefs offense and porous pass protection needed them most, Kansas City’s dynamic partnership delivered on demand.

“When the moment is real, these two dudes find a way,” said Sky Sports NFL’s Jason Bell. “They find each other. Patrick Mahomes can make any throw, he doesn’t need any feet, any balance, he just needs his mind and aura.

“The Chiefs just find a way. The whole season has been like that. When they’ve needed to find a play – be that on offense or defense – someone steps up.

“We’ve all been talking about it: what’s going to happen in the playoffs? Well, Travis Kelce comes to the party.

“It was his day. He looked fresh, he looked rested “He balled out, he came through.”

Asked by one reporter after the game if he was ‘feeling 25′, Kelce smartly corrected him by instead insisting ’22 baby, 22’ in a nod to partner Taylor Swift, who had watched on beside WNBA star Caitlin Clark.

What Swift, Clark and the rest of Arrowhead witnessed was the latest instalment of a Mahomes and Kelce connection bidding to lead their team to a third successive Super Bowl win.

“The chemistry is crazy,” said running back Kareem Hunt. “Travis is the best to ever do it, I’ve not seen a better tight end. I love seeing those two connect.”

Kelce now has 172 catches (most in NFL history), 2,020 receiving yards (second in NFL history) and 20 receiving touchdowns (second in NFL history) in his playoff career, the latter two categories bettered only by Rice.

He has been an unerring focal point to Kansas City’s dynasty-sealing postseason supremacy, seemingly saving his best football for the bright lights of January.

“I think he’s mentioned on his podcast that if they three-peat, he’s probably going to step away – and why wouldn’t you? It would be the perfect way to ride out,” Chiefs legend Dante Hall told Sky Sports NFL.

“But he always seems to just turn it on in the playoffs. Playoff Trav is a real thing and we saw that on display again today.”

Kelce’s chunk plays and fourth-quarter touchdown had served as a welcome remedy to a Texans defense that had caused problems for Mahomes and the Chiefs offensive line all game.

Nor he or the champions looked like blinking.

“It’s Kelce,” said Sky Sports NFL’s Phoebe Schecter. “Last week he had his most receptions. We’ve saw him take over this game, he knows how to be that guy.

“They never threat, they find a way to chip away at you. This is where he shines the brightest.”

What’s next?

The Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs continues on Sunday, with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Los Angeles Rams, live on Sky Sports NFL from 8pm.

Then, rounding off the weekend is the blockbuster AFC matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens, from 11.30pm.

After the action concludes in Buffalo, we’ll know our final four set to battle it out on Conference Championship Sunday, on January 26.

Super Bowl LIX takes place on Sunday, February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL.