Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce isn’t sure if he is going to return to the NFL for his 13th season in 2025.
“I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year. Right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road.” said Kelce on his “New Heights” podcast after the Super Bowl (via Around The NFL’s Nick Shook).
Kelce is entering the final season of his contract with the Chiefs and will count for $19.8MM against the salary cap. Most of that comes from a $11.5MM roster bonus due on March 15, per OverTheCap, setting up a potential deadline for his decision. Kelce, however, doesn’t seem to be in a rush.
“I think I’m gonna take some time to figure it out,” continued the 35-year-old tight end. “I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that it’s a wholehearted decision.”
Kelce mentioned the “wear and tear” on his body over the last 12 years as a key consideration as he mulls his future. The 2013 third-round pick has proven to be a durable player throughout his career, appearing in at least 15 games for the last 11 seasons. His only major absence was due to knee surgery as a rookie; since then, Kelce has consistently played through minor injuries and ranks 26th among all active players in career starts.
The 10-time Pro Bowler also leads active players with 25 career playoff starts, something he alluded to on the podcast.
“I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody,” said Kelce. “It’s because the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC championships, these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league.”
If Kelce elects to return, Kansas City may want to sign him to an extension to lower his 2025 cap hit. Such a deal would not signal that Kelce is committed to playing beyond 2025; it would simply be a way for the Chiefs to push more of his cap burden into the future.
Time to retire. HoF career, but he’s done.
He was a pro bowler this year lol
Many old timers get that honor. Deservedly so.
Pro bowl is a popularity contest…means nothing and he is dating someone very famous.
All Pros is what actually counts.
He had 97 catches, yeah he’s not the best at his position anymore but he’s still definitely a well above average TE.
I have bad diarrhea today. Hope it goes away soon.
take a pic of it and make it your pfp
Okay, stand by.
Waiting….
Meanwhile … ex-Chiefs/Browns/Giants WR Kadarius Toney arrested last week in Georgia, charged with allegedly strangling a woman and preventing her from calling 911. TMZ has the details.
Never have I been more happy to say the good guys won the Super Bowl.
If only you cared so much about abuse of women when you vote.
Bet you can’t define what a woman is
Ah yes, voting for abusers, authoritarians, and crooks is better than leaving trans people alone. Weird bigot.
BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Voting for tampons in boys bathrooms is beyond bigoted and common sense. I voted for women’s rights and them not to have men play sports against men.
Put tampons everywhere dude. Who is it hurting?
If you voted for Biden does Tara Reid ring a bell? Or Kamala who’s husband allegedly beat a woman….see how every side can play that game? We all need to quit acting so surprised when an athlete or a politician turns out to not be such great people all the time. Alot most certainly are, and alot are most certainly not.
Buddy, you voted for an adjudicated rapist who tried to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and made Pete Hegseth his defense secretary. Is me with what Harris’ spouse supposedly did.
Anyone who seriously cares about women would vote to shut the border down. Shame.
Eric Swowell affair with a Chinese spy, Biden staffer stealing women’s luggage, Omar marrying her own brother, Warnock hit his wife with a car, the NJ senator just sentenced to 11 years for taking bribes, etc etc. I’m not sure what was confusing when I said both sides can throw stones all day long. My side has bad just as many bad apples as you’re side, but at least i can admit it….Pal
I mean, a couple of those are bogus and Democrats didn’t line up to defend Menendez and put him on committees. Also none of that justifies Trump or his cronies.
Still can’t admit your side has nut jobs too! lol….That is one thing I kinda respect about Liberals, you guys will fall in line no matter what haha
See, you’re projecting. Literally no one on the left know of defended Menendez, but Republicans tried to keep the investigation into Gaetz from going public. And they all bend the knee to Trump.
Actually most of the country voted red. It was like the superbowl, over at halftime. Your team should go back to the locker room and figure out why.
He won a Tony majority of the vote with bomb threats at polling places in blue districts. Most of his actual policies are unpopular. Obama dominated the vote and Republicans obstructed him at every turn.
Did Patrick Mahommes sit in the locker room and talk bad about Philly after the SB loss? Seriously that’s how you sound. Be better.
You sound to me like you shop on Kanye’s site.
He wants to drive the Swift tour bus full time now
Don’t know what Toney has to do with who’s the good guys.
Repeated champions can get boring, so I rooted for the Eagles too. But the Chiefs have great fans, a great stadium, an interesting offense, a lovable coach, and the fans had suffered one heartbreak after another for 5 decades. They ain’t the Belichick Patriots!!
Get the interest in a fresh flavor, but don’t get the hate.
“I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that it’s a wholehearted decision.” …..exactly what the hell does that mean….the only thing his teammates care about in the locker room is whether his play can contribute to them winning the SB….other than that…..this sounds like a I’ll play of you extend me strategy vs maybe the networks will offer me a fat broadcast job…..then I’ll decide…..he can’t play the “what best for my family card” as his potential partner is worth $$$Billions…..
It means he doesn’t want to return if he’s not 100% into it. He doesn’t want to waste his teammates time and money if he’s not committed all the way.
Wasting his teammates time and money?…..doesn’t exactly sound right….his teammates care most about winning, money, and the money that winning brings them in that order…..these days teammates come and go and the guy on the opposing team may your be on your team and your bestie next year……him being committed is a personal decision that of course affects his teammates and the team until/if they can replace him with the newer and better version…..
Take your time sir.
You’ve helped me to multiple dynasty championships but Father Time is undefeated so I’ve had McBride the past two seasons … so I’m good at TE1 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
He’s got to hang on for 5 more years and then he can replace Marcedes Lewis in Chicago 🙂
Kelce could hang on as a decently valuable possession receiver, but he definitely looks like he’s worn down a lot. Which is only fair. The man has only missed a few games since his rookie season over a decade ago, he played over 80% of his team’s offensive snaps in all but two seasons, and he’s played 25 playoff games. That’s a huge amount of football for a primary target to play.
He has managed to avoid major injuries that knock him out for weeks. It won’t get easier when he gets another year older. He is making plenty off the field, the 3peat failed. He is still considered. Their best offensive target so he will continue to be hit, if this was a loaded team where he has a limited role sure but that ain’t the case. Most go out losing.
But then what will TayTay do with her Sundays if he retires?
They’ll spend weekends at her $25,000,000 home in Rhode Island.
Flying around the world in her private jet while reminding us to save the planet.
He’s had a great career. Retire and enjoy the next chapter in life.
His next chapter is as Mr. Swift…..and other than maybe a podcast or gig as an announcer…thats about it….don’t exactly think the networks will come calling very fast either unless they’re trolling for Taylor news first…..
Going to be pretty easy to avoid as a football only fan. Pretty much won’t see or hear from them unless they show up for KC primetime games to watch.