If Travis Kelce would have walked away from the NFL after Super Bowl LIX, as he was reportedly considering doing, it would have made sense.
Kelce had nothing else to prove. He has set multiple tight end records, won three Super Bowl rings and is widely considered one of the greatest tight ends ever. He also has a highly successful podcast and at age 35, he’s at a point in his career in which most tight ends have long retired.
But a little more than two weeks after the Super Bowl, the Chiefs are anticipating that Kelce will return for a 13th season. General manager Brett Veach said at the NFL scouting combine that the Chiefs are operating as if Kelce will return and anticipating that will be the case, according to Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star.
“How we left it at the end of the season was he was fired up, has one more year under contract,” Veach said, via KCTV. “[I] still think he has the fire and desire to play.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline. I think we left it as he’d be back. We’re excited to get him back and get him going.”
That leaves the door open for Kelce to still officially retire, but it doesn’t seem like the Chiefs anticipate that will happen.
If Kelce does return, it takes away one offseason question for the Chiefs. Kelce’s numbers dropped in 2024, with him posting 823 yards. That’s his career low, not counting his rookie year when he played one game. But he’s still a valuable target for Patrick Mahomes, especially in key situations, and the Chiefs would happily welcome him back.
The Chiefs had a rough loss in Super Bowl LIX. It seemed like they might lose their future Hall of Fame tight end this offseason as well. The early indications are that Kelce is ready for yet another season as he gets set to turn 36 years old.
