It might be the end of an era for the Kansas City Chiefs. Speaking on his New Heights podcast, 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce admitted he is considering retirement this offseason but will "take some time to figure it out."
On the @newheightshow -- https://t.co/Hs8wtwUCEo -- #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce went deep on where he stands on retirement:
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025
"I’m gonna take some time to figure it out. And I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back that it’s gonna be a wholehearted decision and I’m…
Kelce's Chiefs are coming off a disappointing 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, so it shouldn't come as a shock he's pondering his football mortality. The loss ended a nine-game postseason win streak that left the Chiefs one short of tying the 2001-2005 New England Patriots' NFL record and put to bed the Chiefs' bid at an unprecedented third-straight Super Bowl victory.
Kelce is arguably the greatest player his position has ever seen. His seven seasons with 1000 or more receiving yards are the most of all time among tight ends; no other tight end has accrued more than four. His 1416 receiving yards over 15 games in 2020 are also a single-season record for the position.
Kelce's regular season impact is peerless, but his dominance in the playoffs is even more impressive. His 178 receptions are a postseason record at any position, and his 2078 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns trail only Jerry Rice. Kelce could match Rice with another 167 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
That's not all that's on the line for Kelce. Despite their bitter defeat in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs still have a couple of meaningful active streaks. An eighth consecutive AFC Championship game appearance in 2025 would tie them with the 2011-2018 New England Patriots for most of all time, and a fourth straight Super Bowl appearance would tie them with the 1990-1993 Buffalo Bills for most ever.
That all being said, Kelce will be 36 in October, and he has shown a precipitous decline over the past two years. His 65.6 receiving yards per game in 2023 were his fewest since 2015, and his 51.4 receiving yards per game this season were his fewest since a rookie season in which he only played a single snap. His 8.2 yards per target in 2023 and 6.2 yards per target in 2024 were also the two worst marks of his career.
Ultimately, Kelce has earned the right to take all the time he wants and leave on whatever terms he chooses. He is a legend and one of the greatest players of his generation. Still, his days as a game-changing pass catcher are behind him. Leaving the NFL is always bittersweet. Given his massive celebrity, he'll have no shortage of opportunities in his post-playing career. Even if he decides to ride off into the sunset, we haven't seen the last of Travis Kelce.
Photo Credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
