Travis Kelce has been weighing his future since the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl earlier this month, and the star tight end appears to have made a decision.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday that Kelce is “fired up” about playing in 2025. Veach said he had a recent conversation with Kelce and came away with the impression that the 35-year-old is not going to retire.
“We left it as, he’d be back and we’re excited to get him back and get him going,” Veach said.
Kelce is entering the final year of a 2-year, $34.25 million extension he signed with the Chiefs last offseason. There has been no indication that he and the team are working toward a new deal, so it is possible Kelce will simply play out the contract and then retire.
The Chiefs owe Kelce an $11.5 million roster bonus by March 15, which is why they reportedly gave the former All-Pro a hard deadline to make his retirement decision.
Kelce has been playing for the Chiefs since 2013. He has made 10 straight Pro Bowls and been named a 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 earlier this month.
Though he had a down year by his own lofty standards this season with 97 catches, 823 yards and 3 touchdowns, Kelce is still Patrick Mahomes’ most trusted target. He is better than most tight ends in the league even if he is now officially past his prime.
