NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Travis Kelce’s possible retirement has been a topic for a few seasons now, but the Kansas City Chiefs superstar won’t address the topic at all as the playoff race intensifies.
But the Chiefs and the rest of the NFL may have a timeline for when that decision will be made.
Kelce, who is playing his 13th NFL season, all with Kansas City, has the door open to a 14th year in the league. However, he is entering the final year of his contract with the Chiefs, raising the question of whether he wants to return or officially hang up his cleats to conclude a Hall of Fame career.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on November 16, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Before the Chiefs face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, hoping to snap a two-game losing streak, Kelce said he will inform the Chiefs of his decision before NFL free agency begins in March 2026.
“I want to give the Chiefs a good chance, whether I come back or not, or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said, via ESPN. “I’d like to make that decision before they have to get draft picks and free agency opens up to properly fill out the roster.
“That will all be at the end of the season. I won’t think about it until then.”
TYREEK HILL PRAISES HEADS COACH AS A ‘DAMN ANIMAL’ AFTER DISAGREEING WITH TRUMP OVER NFL’S STARTING RULE
The 36-year-old tight end has spoken about his future, more specifically how he wants to go out. And while his fiancée likes touring, Kelce is the exact opposite.
He doesn’t want the “farewell tour.”
“That’s not me,” he said.
There are a few reasons to think Kelce will return for the 2026 NFL season, and one of them is his production this season. While the Chiefs are 5-5, Patrick Mahomes and Kelce have maintained their patented chemistry on the field, which helped their three Super Bowl victories together. Many wondered what Kelce had left in the tank after last season, even though a down year for the tight end resulted in 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns.
Kelce is on pace for his eighth 1,000-yard season. He has 50 receptions for 631 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. He may not be averaging more than 70 yards per game, as he did in his seven straight 1,000-yard seasons, but that’s still 63.1 yards per game, and Mahomes is finding it in the end zone, too.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs runs onto the field during the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 16, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
The Chiefs have had some receiving issues in 2025, although Rashee Rice’s return from suspension sparked a rejuvenated Chiefs passing attack. But Kelce’s numbers put him among the best in the NFL at his position.
Only Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride has more receiving yards this season (718) than Kelce among tight ends, while the veteran leads the Chiefs in targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns.
Kelce credited his teammates for his performance so far this year.
“I think what you’re seeing is that I’m a product of my environment right now,” he said. “It’s all based on how the offensive line performs and how the guys around us perform, and obviously the chemistry between me and myself. [Mahomes] have been able to accumulate over the years.
“He’s done a great job,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of his reliable tight end. “He worked like crazy this offseason to get into top shape, which you have to do when you get to an older age. You have to work a little harder, and he did. It’s paying off for him.”
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs stands on the sideline during the national anthem before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on November 2, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Kelce’s future will remain an issue for the remainder of his career, whether after the 2025 campaign or beyond. The same thing happened to his older brother, Jason Kelce, when he finally left the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2023 season.
For now, Kelce is focused on helping his Chiefs return to the playoffs. It looks like the AFC West title will belong to a team that wasn’t named Chiefs for the first time since 2015 after a loss to the Denver Broncos, who lead the division with a 9-2 record.
