Travis Kelce speaks out on his retirement plans as NFL legend, 36, enters final months of his Chiefs contract
Travis Kelce hinted that he could postpone his retirement for at least one more season, but the legendary team will not make any decisions until the end of the 2025 season.
It was expected to be the 13th and final season for the 36-year-old star, who won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs and became the biggest name in football.
Kelce, who announced his engagement to Taylor Swift in August, is in the final year of his contract with Kansas City. But on Friday he left open the door to a return to 2026.
“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity whether I come back or not, or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said, adding that the NFL plans to make a decision in early March before free agency begins.
‘I would like to make this decision before the draft picks are made and the free agency period opens to fill the roster appropriately.
‘All this will happen at the end of the season. ‘I won’t think about it until then.’
Chiefs star Travis Kelce hints he may delay retirement for at least one more season
The tight end and his fiancee Taylor Swift were spotted in New York earlier this month
In recent months, Kelce has refused to discuss his future beyond this season. But on Friday he talked about the possibility of a 14th year in the NFL.
But the latter insisted he had no interest in embarking on a farewell tour. The 36-year-old actor said, “This is not me.”
Kelce hinted he might take a break from his career earlier this year following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 36-year-old admitted that the grind of life in the NFL was starting to drive him “crazy.”
Kelce has faced accusations that he, too, is a waning force, especially after a disappointing Super Bowl performance in New Orleans. ‘I failed,’ the tight end admitted after a difficult season; his worst by many measures.
Kelce also claimed that he was distracted by his off-field adventures and plans for life after football. The 36-year-old actor took his first steps into the world of television and cinema by appearing in TV series such as ‘Grotesquerie’ and ‘Happy Gilmore 2’.
He hosts the wildly popular podcast New Heights with his brother Jason, and his relationship with Swift catapulted him to superstardom.
But in late February, Kelce confirmed he would return in 2025, insisting: ‘I still feel like I can play at a high level and probably at a higher level than last year.’
The Chiefs have struggled this season (Patrick Mahomes and Co. are 5-5) and their playoff hopes remain uncertain.
Against the Denver Broncos, Kelce breaks Kansas City’s record for career most receiving touchdowns
Swift recently appeared on the New Heights podcast hosted by Travis and his brother Jason.
But Kelce shined. He recently broke Kansas City’s career scoring record, and the 36-year-old he currently leads the Chiefs in receptions (50), receiving yards (631) and touchdowns (4) and first downs (33).
Only one of the NFL’s tight ends — the Cardinals’ Trey McBride — has accumulated more yards than Kelce this season.
“He did a great job,” head coach Andy Reid said before Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
‘He worked like crazy in the off-season to get himself in top shape, which is what you have to do when you get to your older age.
‘You have to work a little harder and that’s what he did. It pays off for him.’
