Travis Kelce contract details: What is his salary and how many years does he have left?
Travis Kelce, one of the National Football League’s and Chiefs’ top tight ends, commands a high salary. How much is he paid, and what portion is guaranteed?
Looking back, it’s hard to believe that Travis Kelce was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. Indeed, the 33-year-old stands as one of the best in his position across the league and has picked up several accolades, including two Super Bowl chips. Fittingly, Kelce has been well compensated for his efforts, but how exactly? Let’s look at the contractual situation of this particular Chiefs star.
What does Travis Kelce’s contract look like?
Since being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NF Draft, tight end Travis Kelce has remained with the team through thick and thin, having initially signed a four-year rookie contract worth $3.12 million with a signing bonus of $703,304, Kelce later signed a five-year contract extension worth $46 million. Then came the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory in 2020, after which he signed another extension of four years and $57 million. This most recent contract will tie him to the Chiefs through until 2025. For an in-depth look at the contract, see our breakdown below:
| Contract | Signing Bonus | Average Salary | GTD at Signing | Total GTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 yr(s) / $57,250,000 | - | $14,312,500 | $20,750,000 | $22,750,000 |
| Year | Base Salary | Signing Bonus | Roster Bonus | Workout Bonus | Restructure | Cap Hit | Dead Cap | Annual Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $8,500,000 | $1,968,400 | $500,000 | $250,000 | - | $11,218,400 | $24,936,80 | $9,294,294 ($9,294,294) |
| 2021 | $5,250,000 | - | $705,882 | $250,000 | $1,400,000 | $7,605,882 | $10,850,000 | $11,805,872 ($21,100,166) |
| 2022 | $2,893,333 | - | $2,750,000 | $250,000 | $2,551,667 | $8,444,999 | $15,350,000 | $10,500,000 ($31,600,166) |
| 2023 | $11,250,000 | - | - | $250,000 | $2,551,667 | $14,801,667 | $19,155,000 | $12,250,000 ($43,850,166) |
| 2024 | $12,000,000 | - | - | $250,000 | $2,551,667 | $15,551,667 | $5,103,333 | $13,000,000 ($56,850,166) |
| 2025 | $16,250,000 | - | - | $250,000 | $2,551,667 | $19,801,667 | $2,551,667 | $17,250,000 ($74,100,166) |
What exactly is Travis Kelce paid?
If there’s one thing we can say about Kelce’s salary, he has to know the franchise values him. With his current deal, Kelce is set to earn a massive $56 million by the end of his contract, including the possibility of an extension. As things stand, his average annual salary is projected at approximately $14 million. According to the figures in 2022, the tight end’s base salary comes in at around $6.5 million with per-game bonuses in addition to other add-ons that increase his earnings.
How much of Travis Kelce’s Contract is guaranteed?
As you probably know, a guaranteed sum in an NFL contract is a clause that ensures that a player gets a certain amount of money from the contract even if they cannot play due to injury or if the contract is voided for some other unforeseen reason. Kelce’s four-year contract has a total guaranteed sum of $22,750,000. In 2021, he received a guaranteed roster bonus of $7 million, while in 2022, he earned $2 million of his salary as a guarantee.
What are the terms of Travis Kelce’s Contract?
- $20.75M guaranteed at signing (2020 salary + 2021 salary + 2021 roster bonus)
- $2M of 2022 salary fully guaranteed on 3/18/2022 (injury guaranteed now)
- 2021 Roster Bonus: $7M (guaranteed, paid 3/19/2021)
- 2020 Per Game Active Bonus: $31,250 ($500,000)
- 2021-2025 Per Game Active Bonus: $44,117 ($750,000, 16 likely to be earned in 2022)
It’s worth mentioning that Kelce’s four-year extension deal would have officially started in 2022. Said deal would have been restructured using his previous contract extensions - signed in 2016 - as the base. With its $57 million value, this new four-year deal includes a roster bonus worth more than $700,000 per season and carries a workout bonus of $250,000 for each campaign.