Travis Kelce’s football future is starting to come into focus.
During an appearance Wednesday on “The Rich Eisen Show,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini revealed the Chiefs tight end is “leaning more toward” playing after speculation mounted this month that the 12-year NFL vet could potentially call it a career after Super Bowl 2025.
“I can just tell you from having a few conversations with people around the league over the last few days there’s definitely a sense that Travis is going to try to play more. I haven’t heard anyone say, ‘Yeah, he’s really struggling with what he wants to do,’ it’s definitely leaning more toward that. That can, of course, change. This is going to be his decision, his decision only, but for this Chiefs’ operation looking to move forward here, I think they feel pretty good that Travis has got a little bit more left in him,” Russini said.
Retirement buzz has been swirling around Kelce, 35, even before the Chiefs were walloped by the Eagles in this month’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, 40-22.
The three-time Super Bowl champ was all but invisible during the championship contest, tallying four receptions for 39 yards and zero touchdowns.
Shortly after the game, a somber Kelce was seen arriving at girlfriend Taylor Swift’s suite inside Caesars Superdome, where she and loved ones watched the Chiefs’ dreams of a Super Bowl three-peat melt away
“Just wasn’t our day,” Kelce said on last Wednesday’s installment of his “New Heights” podcast. “Couldn’t find a lick of momentum. I’m kicking myself for some of the tiny, tiny decisions I made on the field.”
Kelce, who has played in five Super Bowls with the Chiefs, added, “I wasn’t the best that I could be in motivating my guys and keeping my guys calm, cool and collected and I put a lot of that on myself, you know, as the guy that’s been in the building for 12 years and seen a lot of football and seen a situation just like this, in the Super Bowl.”
The Chiefs will likely want to know what the 10-time Pro Bowler’s plans are before March 14, when his $11.5 million roster bonus is due, according to Spotrac.
He’s entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $19.8 million cap hit for 2025.
Kelce finished the 2024 regular season with 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns. He posted career-lows in yardage and scores.
