Travis Kelce is believed to be considering retirement, and the Kansas City Chiefs have given him a date by when they would like to know his decision.
Kansas City is hoping that Kelce will return for the 2025 season, and they reportedly have asked him to notify them of his plans by March 14. Kelce has an $11.5 million roster bonus that is due by March 15. NFL free agency also begins on March 10, so knowing about Kelce’s status would help the team plan properly.
Kelce is 35 and has been playing for the Chiefs since 2013. He has made 10 straight Pro Bowls and been named first-team All-Pro four times. He has been durable as well and has only missed six regular season games during his 12-year career.
Kelce recently addressed speculation surrounding his retirement during a podcast episode.
“Right now, I’m just kicking every can I can down the road. I’m not making any crazy decisions, but right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this thing,” Kelce said on his show last week.
Kelce then noted that the Chiefs’ success throughout his career has resulted in him playing in 21 playoff games, which adds up to more than a full season’s worth of games.
“I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody, and it’s because of the people that are in that building. The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body, and it’s a lot of time spent in the building focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand and every challenge that you set up for yourself. That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy at the same time, and right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year. I think that happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career,” said Kelce.
“I’m going to take some time to figure it out. I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be a whole-hearted decision. I’m not half-a–ing it. I’m fully here for them. I think I could play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
Kelce probably just needs more time to figure out his decision. Like he said, he wants to get it right and not cheat his teammates if he decides to come back. It probably doesn’t help him that his Chiefs got wrecked in the Super Bowl by the Eagles, which likely left him reeling.
