Move over, Rob Gronkowski ... Chiefs legend Christian Okoye tells TMZ Sports it won't be long before Travis Kelce claims the title of the greatest tight end of all time!!
Okoye showered the Kanas City star with praise just a couple days before the Chiefs' AFC Championship Game against the Bengals ... saying he expects Patrick Mahomes' favorite target to have a big night against Cincy.
Okoye explained ... Kelce is "an incredible weapon" who he views as not only the Chiefs' No. 1 receiver -- but the greatest to ever do it at the TE position.
"I think he's going to end up being the best tight end in the league ever," Okoye said. "If he keeps going the way he's going, it's going to be much better than ones before him. It's just incredible."
As for the guy throwing Kelce the footballs -- Okoye heaped compliments on Mahomes too ... telling us he believes there's really not much of a comparison there between the K.C. signal-caller and Joe Burrow.
"Patrick Mahomes' numbers are way better than Burrow's," Okoye said. "That's why he's going to be the MVP of the league this year."
Both Kelce and Mahomes will try to take down the Bengals for the first time since 2018 ... and Okoye clearly thinks they'll get it done this weekend.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have connected for the second-most playoff touchdowns of any duo in NFL history 👊 pic.twitter.com/D3qEJVyHoa
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 26, 2023
One of the biggest reasons? The former K.C. running back tells us the trash talk that the Bengals have been doing in the leadup to the game -- disses that included calling Arrowhead Stadium "Burrowhead" -- will play a big role in why the Chiefs come out on top on Sunday.
Kickoff is slated for 3:30 PM PT ... getcha popcorn ready!