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Any concerns about 11-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce’s career continuing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 were apparently unwarranted.
Shortly after news broke that Kelce would return to the only NFL team he ever played for, the 36-year-old tight end said he made the decision “about halfway through” last season.
“About halfway through the season,” Kelce said on the latest episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he hosts with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
While questions arose when Kelce took a long time to reveal his decision, he made it clear that he didn’t want to make an emotional decision.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce walks on the sideline before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. (Mark Konezny/Imagn Images)
“I was following Jason Kelce’s advice. I was following the advice of taking a step back. You have to let the emotions clear and you have to have a clear head. I’ve made decisions based on emotions, and they haven’t always turned out the right way. So I think taking a step back, letting the emotions calm down… I still felt like I was hungry enough to get back to it. Obviously, there’s still a little bit of that determination and that excitement. I hated the way The Shit ended last year and I want fix it.”
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Kelce said his decision to return was also fueled by another chance at NFL glory. “And I want to have another shot at another damn Super Bowl,” he said.
Kansas City’s Travis Kelce (87) watches during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
A 6-11 finish in the 2025 season meant the Chiefs were on the outside looking into the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
While the Chiefs’ offseason got off to an earlier-than-usual start, Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL injury and the uncertainty surrounding Kelce’s future are being watched closely in Kansas City.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after a catch-and-run against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2025. (Denny Medley/Image Images)
Kelce finished last season with 851 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions.
The Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Kansas City made a splash in free agency this week, signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to bolster its running back room.
