Travis Kelce only has a month to inform the Kansas City Chiefs of his retirement status.
According to a team source who spoke to the Athletic on Thursday, the organization has given the tight end until March 14 to decide whether to hang up his jersey permanently or continue playing football with the Chiefs.
According to reports, the Chiefs are hoping that 35-year-old Kelce will choose to stay with the organization for the 2025–2026 NFL season.
READ MORE: Travis Kelce And Taylor Swift “Jason’s ‘MNF’ Shirt Had Us ‘Absolutely Dying Laughing’”
The NFL’s free agency period begins on March 10 and the athlete’s current deal, which extends into the following season, has a roster bonus of $11.5 million that is due on March 15 (Over The Cap reported).
Only a few days had passed since Kelce’s most recent professional setback, in which the Chiefs suffered a heartbreaking 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 2025.
On his “New Heights” podcast this week, Kelce responded to rumors that he might be retiring from the game by telling listeners, “I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year.”
“I’m just kicking everything down the road right now,” he added. “Although I’m not making any crazy choices at the moment, the most important thing is simply supporting my coaches and teammates, knowing that a lot goes into this.”
Kelce went on to say that his body has experienced a great deal of “wear and tear,” and that concentrating on his craft over the years has been a “grueling” process.
He stated, “I owe it to my teammates that if I do return, it will be a decision that I make with all of my heart; I’m not half-assing it.” “I am totally available to them. Whether I’m motivated or not, I believe I can play, and taking on all that responsibility is the best course of action for me as a man, a person, and a human.
On his “New Heights” podcast, he stated, “I’m not making any crazy decisions, but right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and my coaches, understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this thing.”
According to the Athletic, Kelce, like his teammates, had a poor start in the championship game on February 9. He was held without a reception in the first half of a playoff game for the first time in his career, with four receptions on six targets for 39 yards occurring in the second half.
On his way to his girlfriend Taylor Swift’s suite at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Kelce was spotted looking devastated following the heartbreaking loss.
Swift, a key member of the franchise since they began dating in the summer of 2023, has been a great comfort to Kelce, a source told Page Six.
Regardless matter the result, the insider stated, “Taylor is extremely proud of Travis, even though she knows he took this loss very hard.”
The singer “understands how hard” Kelce has “worked all season and was thrilled to be at the Super Bowl to show her support,” the insider continued.
According to an exclusive relationship expert who spoke to Page Six, Kelce’s most recent setback might be beneficial for his partnership.
Jaime Bronstein, a registered relationship therapist, told us earlier this week that “things were almost too perfect for them, and to be humbled in life, as an individual and as a couple, is a beautiful thing and I believe it will make them stronger.”
As a receiving tight end, Kelce has already had one of the most successful careers in NFL history.
He helped guide his club to three Super Bowl victories in 2020, 2023, and 2024 after being chosen by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 draft.
It’s no secret that Kelce has had his sights set on ventures outside of sports, even if he owns the records for the most consecutive and overall seasons with 1,0000 receiving yards by a tight end at an astonishing seven and the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 1,416 in 2020.
Kelce anchors the game show “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” and made his acting debut in the 2024 thriller series “Grotesquerie.” Along with his older brother Jason Kelce, who resigned from the Eagles in March after 13 years of NFL play, he co-hosts the well-liked Wondery+ podcast.
Radiant TV, offering to elevate your entertainment game! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, music, and more—download now on various devices, including iPhones, Androids, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more.
