Travis Kelce Faces Retirement Decision Amid Chiefs' Struggles
The Kansas City Chiefs, now out of playoff contention, are shifting their focus to Travis Kelce as he weighs his future in the NFL. With quarterback Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL, the 36-year-old tight end must decide whether to return for another season or retire.
Jason Kelce, Travis's brother and a former NFL player himself, expressed uncertainty about his brother's decision during an appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. “I’m curious, too,” Jason remarked to Scott Van Pelt on December 15. “To nail that decision, you have to step away from the game for a little bit. Play these last three games, enjoy them with your teammates, enjoy them with your coaches.”
Jason, who spent 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring after the 2023 season, emphasized the importance of reflection. “Enjoy these last three games and then let it sink in. It will come to you with time,” he advised, acknowledging the emotional weight that comes at the end of a season.
The Chiefs' season has been marked by frustration, culminating in their elimination from playoff contention following a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14. With a 6-8 record, the team has faced challenges, including seven losses by a single score. “They’ve been close, and right now it’s just too fresh,” Jason noted. “You gotta step away from it, you gotta think about it, and then, yeah, it will come to you.”
Travis Kelce is widely regarded as a future Hall of Famer and has been integral to the Chiefs' success over the past six years, which includes five Super Bowl appearances. After considering retirement last season, he opted to return following a disappointing Super Bowl performance.
“I want to give it a good run,” Travis stated in March during an episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he co-hosts with Jason. “I got a bad taste in my mouth on how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was for the people around me.”
As the offseason approaches, Travis appears determined not to prolong his decision-making process. “Seeing my brother go through it and just how the league works, the season kind of restarts in April,” he explained to reporters in November. “I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity to know whether I come back or not.”
He further elaborated on his timeline: “I’d like to make that decision before they’ve got to get draft picks and free agency opens up to fill the roster appropriately… All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then.”
