Tight end Travis Kelce is in the final year of his contract and hinted during the Kansas City Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp in June that he could continue playing beyond the upcoming season.
Thus, some understandably wondered if he had any interest in featuring for a different team than the one that chose him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
During an appearance on the latest edition of the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, Kelce addressed whether he could see himself with a club other than the Chiefs before he calls time on his playing days.
“At this point, no,” Kelce directly said, as shared by Ishika Dadhwal of the Pro Football Network website. “Maybe if you would’ve asked me that, maybe, like a contract or two ago, I’d have been like, you know, I’d keep it open. Kansas City is, like, the only place I got a home. I’ve just had that sense of community. I think I would have a tough time putting on another jersey.”
Kelce has earned three Super Bowl rings during his Kansas City tenure and will retire as one of the greatest players in franchise history. However, the fact that he finished last season with career lows (outside of when he appeared in just one game as a rookie) of 823 receiving yards and three touchdown catches could lead one to believe he is slowing down ahead of his 36th birthday, which he’ll celebrate this coming October.
Per Ryan Giancolao of the New York Post, Kelce insisted during the podcast that he is currently focused on trying to help the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fourth straight year.
“I know that I got one on the contract, and a hell of a [expletive] team. We got a lot of [expletive] talent, and I’m pumped for it,” Kelce explained. He also hinted that he may not announce his plans for beyond the 2025 season until after the new league year opens in March 2026.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna feel like in March and April next year when I make that decision, or I try and figure out what’s next for me,” he added.
Kelce has already embraced numerous off-the-field business endeavors amid his much-publicized relationship with entertainment superstar Taylor Swift, and he potentially could land a job as an on-air NFL analyst whenever he wants. He seems fully dedicated to once again serving as a top weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes this fall. That said, Kelce’s unsettled future is a storyline that inevitably will hover over the Chiefs through at least January.