Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce share genesis of their friendship on ‘Today’ show

No words are spoken in the Hy-Vee commercials starring the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, except in the song by Harry Nilsson.

It’s titled, “Best Friend,” and it’s a perfect choice for the spots, because in addition to being teammates, Mahomes and Kelce are best buds.

On Monday, the “Today” show aired an interview with the Chiefs stars. Craig Melvin and his son Del asked some football questions and a few about their friendship.

Mahomes is leading the NFL in passing yards (2,605) and touchdown passes (21), while Kelce is tied for the league lead with seven touchdown receptions. He also leads all tight ends in catches (57) and receiving yards (659).

Both are All-Pros and Pro Bowlers. How much of that success do they ascribe to the other, they were asked.

“I attribute a ton of mine to Travis,” Mahomes said. “I mean, almost all of it. When I was in college, I didn’t even have a tight end and I remember getting here my first year and I’m like, ‘Wait. guys are this big and can run routes like receivers? This is awesome.’”

Kelce said: “Obviously he’s the main one throwing me the ball, right? The most unique quarterback that we’ve seen in the NFL, and it’s so much fun playing with him because it’s almost like we’re just in the backyard playing sandlot.”

Mahomes and Kelce have taken vacations in the past, and they’ve been spotted at concerts together, too.

Melvin asked how they became close friends.

“The friendship started just because we’re very similar where we want to win. But we like to enjoy life, too,” Mahomes said. “We’ve kind of built this friendship of we’re gonna go out there and compete and we’re gonna enjoy it while we do.”

Kelce said: “You could tell the first day that Pat came into the building it was gonna be fun playing with him.”

Del asked the duo to name one thing no one knows about them but they wish they did.

“One thing that I would love everybody to know about me is that I absolutely love all types of music and I listen to everything from an orchestra to hip-hop to oldies,” said Kelce, who defined the oldies as anything that came out before he was born in 1989.

Mahomes said: “I’m a tremendous pingpong player. Actually I’ve never been beaten in my household and Travis has never beaten me, so I’d like to keep those streaks alive.”

One other query for the Chiefs stars is if they’ll remain friends when their playing days are over. Mahomes, 27, is likely to still be playing after Kelce, 33, has retired.

“Man, hopefully it’s miles down the road, baby,” Kelce said. “But like I said, man, this guy’s family now. It’s something that’s genuine and that’s what’s real, and I’m sure the relationships gonna go far beyond this game.”

Mahomes said: “There’s people that I’ve met that were his childhood friends and I’ll text individually because we’re friends now. And so those relationships that we built together has kind of conjoined both of our families and it’ll be something that we’ll have forever.”

Here are the interviews, and it’s safe to say Del was tired after being at Arrowhead Stadium the night before.