Travis Kelce Talks About Possible Retirement After 2025 Season

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce knows he has a big choice to make soon, but he isn’t rushing it. The 36-year-old said on Friday that he will think about retirement only after the 2025 NFL season is over.

Travis Kelce explained that he wants to help the Chiefs plan for the future — whether he decides to play another year or not. He told ESPN’s Nate Taylor that he hopes to make his decision early enough so the team can handle the draft and free agency without any confusion. For now, though, he’s keeping his mind on football. “All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then,” he said.

Travis Kelce is in the last season of the two-year, $34.25 million deal he signed in 2024. He thought about retiring after the 2024 season, especially after the Chiefs lost Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, at that time, he also said he hoped to be playing for at least three more years. With the end of his contract coming up, retirement is now back in the conversation.

Even with the talk about his future, Travis Kelce is playing at a high level. He has improved from last year, going from 51.4 receiving yards per game to 63.1 this season. He’s caught 50 passes for 631 yards, which puts him second among all tight ends. He also has four touchdowns so far.

Lately, he’s been even better. In his last three games, he has 19 catches on 26 targets for 256 yards and two touchdowns. His connection with quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to help the Chiefs’ offense move the ball when it matters.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised Kelce for working hard in the offseason to stay in great shape. “He’s done a heck of a job,” Reid said. “When you get older, you have to work a little harder, and he did that. It’s paying off for him.”

Travis Kelce is already seen as one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Whether he comes back for the 2026 season or decides to retire after this year, fans will be watching closely to see what he chooses next.

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