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Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones came to the defense of Travis Kelce after a former general manager said the team should move on from the tight end in the offseason.
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” on Wednesday that the Chiefs should cut Kelce and look to upgrade the position with a younger, faster player.
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) gestures to the crowd during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Image Images)
Jones, a defensive tackle, had a two-word response.
“Shut up,” he wrote on X.
Tannenbaum said the Chiefs front office should project what a player can contribute now, rather than evaluating past performance.
“I would leave Travis Kelce behind and let me tell you why. When you’re in the front office, you have to project what a player is going to do,” he said. “It’s not what they’ve done. I’ve made that mistake countless times in my career. And Travis Kelce is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but when you look at him and make an honest, sober assessment of his performance in 2025, clearly, his best days are behind him.
“We talked about his lack of explosive plays, if I were Kansas City, I would make the right, albeit difficult, decision to move on from Travis Kelce to try to be younger, faster and more explosive at tight end.”
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) talks with Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (8) after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2025. (Denny Medley/Image Images)
PATRICK MAHOMES MAKES CURIOUS COMMENTS ABOUT TRAVIS KELCE WITH CHIEF SEASON ON THE BRIEF
Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion and 11-time Pro Bowl selection, has seen his stats decline over the past three seasons. However, as he gets older, defensive coaches have become more interested in covering Kelce in a way that prevents Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense from hurting them.
He did have better numbers from the 2024 season through the 2025 season. He had 851 receiving yards on 76 receptions and five touchdowns last season, compared to 2024, when he had 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns. He also proved to be a valuable target for Mahomes’ backups when he suffered a season-ending injury.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce acknowledges the crowd on the 10th hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Feb. 13, 2026. (Kiyoshi Mio/Image Images)
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Kelce could still choose to retire, making the Chiefs’ decision moot. But today, its future is still at stake.
