Travis Kelce could be set to retire from the Kansas City Chiefs following their Super Bowl 59 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, according to reports.
Bleacher Report’s James Palmer revealed that sources within the Chiefs organisation believe this might be the end for the star tight end.
“Nobody in the Chiefs’ organization really wants to admit it, but if you ask them, ‘Hey, what’s your gut feeling?’, I think this might be it for Travis Kelce,” Palmer said.
“And it’s nothing that they want to happen. Travis hasn’t said anything either way. I know he got very emotional addressing the team Saturday night but he did that two years ago as well and then came back and played. He’s an emotional guy.
NFL insiders think Travis Kelce might be ‘done’ with the sport following Sunday’s Super Bowl defeat
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“But a couple of people I talked to just kind of hinted at, ‘If my gut were to tell me, I’d say he’s done.'”
The veteran player was visibly distraught after the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Eagles.
Palmer noted that Kelce became emotional whilst addressing the team on Saturday night, though this had happened before without leading to retirement.
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NFL star Travis Kelce toiled on Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs lost the Super Bowl
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If Kelce does retire, he will leave an extraordinary legacy with the Chiefs as their all-time leader in receiving yards.
The tight end’s career includes three Super Bowl victories with Kansas City.
His potential final Super Bowl appearance proved disappointing, with Kelce recording just four catches for 39 yards, including a reception-less first half.
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The Super Bowl clash was marred by a heated confrontation between Kelce and Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson early in the game.
Both players nearly came to blows during a tense on-field exchange.
The incident set the tone for what would become a difficult outing for Kelce, who posted his lowest statistical performance across his five Super Bowl appearances.
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The confrontation took a controversial turn when Gardner-Johnson posted an inflammatory message on Instagram on Monday morning.
The Eagles safety shared an image of the heated moment alongside a caption that made reference to Kelce’s former girlfriend, Kayla Nicole.
Gardner-Johnson suggested Kelce “should’ve stayed” with his ex-partner instead of his current relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.
Travis Kelce and C.J. Gardner nearly came to blows during Sunday night’s Super Bowl
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The social media post drew significant backlash from fans, with many criticising Gardner-Johnson’s decision to target Kelce’s personal life.
The Eagles star is unlikely to care too much, however, given his side’s monumental achievement.