The mood is ironic given Kelce’s swelling reputation for flashy exuberance. In one season, he’s joined that fraternity of showmen in the No Fun League (The ODBs, Marshawns, and J.J.s) who garner as much attention for how they make plays as the plays themselves. Fans, teammates, pundits—they’re as invested in Kelce’s how as they are his what.

I have to believe this is a welcome change. Twelve months ago, virtually no one was invested in Kelce. His is a trajectory easiest examined in two epochs: Before Aug. 7, 2014 and After Aug. 7, 2014.

Before, Kelce was a promising glimmer of light within the Chiefs organization, a 2013 third-round pick who impressed early with a formidable combination of size, speed and agility. His rookie season, however, ended before it took off. That October, after just one regular season game, Kelce needed surgery to repair a nagging bone bruise. The “microfracture” procedure was the same cartilage rehabilitation connected to names you never (medically at least) want to be connected to. Names like Tracy McGrady, Greg Oden, and do you seriously even need to hear any more?

The operation forced Kelce away from the playing field—and public conversation—for a year; a stud that never left the stable.

Then, during a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals—Aug. 7, 2014—Kelce juked the everlasting shit out of Cincinnati rookie cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks for a 69-yard touchdown slant from Chiefs backup quarterback Chase Daniel on his first series post-surgery.

Usually, an ankle-breaking touchdown spanning three fourths of a football field on your very first series back from knee surgery is the highlight. But for the Cleveland-born Kelce, nicknamed “Zeus,” it wasn’t enough. His celebration after is what, nearly a year later, ended up leaving the indelible mark. After scoring, Kelce hit the Nae Nae, months before the WeAreToonz created dance would go full-blown mainstream and partner with The Whip to join that Butterfly/Harlem Shake/Walk-It-Out pantheon of inescapable generation-defining jigs.

The online hype went into overdrive: Kelce wasn’t just going to give us touchdowns. He would give us Vines, memes, and moments. He’d give us star-power.

Zeus would continue to dominate—and dance—in 2014. The Shmoney Dance, Ric Flair strut, and more would make appearances.

His statistics were appropriately Olympian: Kelce’s 67 catches, 862 yards, and five touchdowns all led the Chiefs, while his 503 yards after catch led all NFL tight ends. The 2014 season was Kelce’s official arrival to the NFL party.

Yet here we were in his loft. Stationary.