After suffering one of the biggest heartbreaks of his career, Travis Kelce discussed his current mindset over whether he has played his final NFL game.
With retirement rumours circulating after his Kansas City Chiefs were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles during Sunday’s Super Bowl, Kelce opened up about the “wear and tear” he has endured during his Hall of Fame career and his thoughts on his future.
“I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year and right now I am just kicking everything down the road. I am kicking every can I can down the road,” Kelce said during an episode of his New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with brother Jason Kelce – a former Eagles lineman who retired after last season.
“I am not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches understanding there’s a lot that goes into this thing. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody.”
Travis spoke about how making yearly runs deep into the playoffs affects his body at 35 years old.
“The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body,” he said.
“It’s a lot of time in the building … That process can be gruelling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy. Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career.”
Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler, had career lows of 823 yards and three touchdowns this season.
During the Super Bowl, he was held to four catches and 39 receiving yards, all coming in the second half after the game was well out of reach.
“As you see yourself or feel yourself not having this success that you once used to have, it’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “To not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team is counting on you, those are all extremely hard things — it’s just a tough reality.”
Despite the frank discussion, the future Hall of Famer refused to give his decision on retirement, one way or the other.
“I’m going to take some time to figure it out,” he said. “I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that … it’s a wholehearted decision.
“I’m not half-assing it. I’m fully here for them and I think I can play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or if it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
Jason, who retired in March 2024 after 13 seasons with the Eagles, replied: “Preaching to the choir.”
Kelce has very much been in the public eye for the past year and a half since going public with his relationship to global music star Taylor Swift.