Goodbye to Travis Kelce?

The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for a busy spring and summer following their painful 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 59th Super Bowl.

The loss has forced the team to make significant changes to revive a dynasty that appeared rusty on the big stage. A key focus in the coming weeks will be on the future of 35-year-old tight end Travis Kelce, who delivered a disappointing performance in the final with just four receptions for 39 yards. His future is uncertain, and the possibility of retirement is not off the table.

Time has not been kind to Kelce, widely regarded as one of the best—if not the best—tight ends in NFL history. He just wrapped up an inconsistent season, recording 823 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season—both career lows in his 11 years in the league.

Kelce’s poor season fuels retirement rumours

In three playoff games, he managed 136 yards and one touchdown. In the Super Bowl, Kelce notably failed to catch a pass in the first quarter and missed another low throw later on—a play that, in his prime, likely would have been routine.

Before the game, journalist Ian Rapoport noted that while Kelce had stated he still had “a lot of football left,” he remained undecided about his future. Rapoport suggested that the outcome of the Super Bowl could play a key role in Kelce’s decision.

Retirement rumours gained traction after the Chiefs' loss, especially when quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed the media. Asked about Kelce’s future, Mahomes said, “I will let Travis make the decision for himself. He’s given so much to this team and the NFL, and it’s been a joy—not just for me, but for everyone—to work with him and watch him play. You can see he still has a lot of football left in him. He’s done enough to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Now, he’ll have time to be with his family and make the decision on his own.”

Kelce, who left the field at Caesars Superdome visibly shaken, did not attend the postgame press conference. Instead, he made brief comments before leaving the stadium, all of which clearly avoided the topic of his future in the game. “We couldn’t move the ball on offence. We had turnovers, dropped passes, and failed to execute plays. Everything went wrong. We haven’t played this poorly all year. We just couldn’t find the spark or momentum. But this team will always fight to the end, no matter the score. I never lose faith in this team. Nothing went right today, and it hurts. We need to let it hurt and figure out what happened.”

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Kelce’s brother, Jason, retired from the NFL last year, adding another layer of speculation about the tight end’s potential departure.

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