Travis Kelce Gives Major Hint About When He Will Retire
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has decided to return to the Chiefs next season after briefly considering retirement following the team's Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. But from the sound of it, there's a good chance this season really will be his final season with the Chiefs.
During the most recent episode of his New Heights podcast, Kelce opened up a little bit about his decision to return next season, revealing that the “the biggest thing” that convinced him to return to Kansas City was his current contract.
Kelce said that he feels “like there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract I initially signed and give Kansas City my best.”
That sentiment could provide a pretty major hint that this will be Kelce's last season in the league.
Kelce's current contract with the Chiefs goes through the 2025 season, but he is set to become a free agent following the season.
If the primary reason why Kelce chose to return to the Chiefs is his current contract, that will not be an issue at this time next season since his contract expires after the 2025 season. This obviously hints that the 2025 season will be Kelce's last.
As for his decision to return next season, Kelce acknowledged that his production dropped off significantly this season, but he made it clear that he still thinks he can play at a high level and has a "bad taste" in his mouth after losing Super Bowl LIX in a blowout to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year,” Kelce said via Pro Football Talk. “I don’t think it was my best outing, you know? I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past. You know, I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth about how I ended the year and how well I was playing, and how accountable I was for the people around me.”
We'll have to see how Kelce performs next season and whether or not it will indeed be his final season with the Chiefs.