There’s been a lot of speculation about Travis Kelce’s future. And it may not be unfounded.
According to the NFL Network, “sources say Kelce still hasn’t made up his mind about whether or not he’ll play in 2025” after Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kelce is in his 12th season in the league and posted the lowest receiving yardage total of his career with 823 across 16 games. His 8.5 yards per catch were a career low after he had a then career-low 10.6 yards per catch in 2023.
Kelce, 35, agreed to a two-year contract extension ahead of the 2024 season that appeared to make it clear he was going to play through the 2025 season. And Kelce hasn’t publicly entertained the idea of retiring after the Super Bowl during the myriad media sessions before the game. When asked earlier this week what he envisioned himself doing in three years, Kelce said he hoped he was still playing football.
It’s understandable why there’s been retirement speculation about the star tight end. Kelce’s stats have slowed over the past two seasons; he’s in uncharted territory for a tight end to play at a high level at his age. And he’s also set himself up for a very lucrative career outside of football. Kelce has hosted “Saturday Night Live,” starred in an FX series in the offseason and, oh yeah, is dating Taylor Swift. He can do nearly anything he wants in entertainment when his football career is over.
Will that career continue for at least another season? We should find out fairly soon no matter if the Chiefs become the first three-time Super Bowl champion in NFL history or not. Kelce is due a roster bonus of $12.5 million that pays out all but $1 million on March 14. Given the timing of that bonus, Kelce’s decision to keep playing or go on to other endeavors should come before free agency and the draft to give the Chiefs ample time to figure out a succession plan if they need one.
