Travis Kelce retirement update: Chiefs drop subtle hint as fans criticize ‘weird’ scenes

Will he or won’t he? Speculation about whether Travis Kelce will retire from football at the end of the season continues, especially with the tight end potentially having played his last game at Arrowhead Stadium in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Christmas Day defeat to the Denver Broncos.

The man himself remains coy about his future plans. “I’ve been just focused on trying to win football games, man,” Kelce told reporters after the game. “I’ll let that be a decision that I make with my family, friends, the Chiefs organization….when the time comes.”

Chiefs set up Kelce farewell?

There were signs that Kelce may never be seen at Arrowhead again, at least as a player, in Kansas City’s latest loss during a disappointing season.

The first came ahead of the game, when the 36-year-old was the last Chiefs player introduced to the fans after third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun, deputizing for the injured Patrick Mahomes. Was it Kansas City’s way of setting up a final farewell?

Tight end nostalgic after Kansas City defeat to Denver

After the game, Kelce struck a nostalgic tone while reflecting on the season, which many interpreted as him signing off after 13 years with the Chiefs.

“A whole lot of emotions,” the tight end said when asked how he was feeling. “You’ve got everybody in the world watching you.

“You get to go out there with the young guys on primetime television. Young guys getting an opportunity to taste what this NFL life is like,” Kelce continued.

“You only get a few of those moments where you get to stand there and appreciate 70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you. I always embrace that moment.

“You feel the generations of happiness and the love that the fans have. It’s a beautiful thing, man. It’s something I know I’ll cherish forever, whether it’s coming out of the tunnel or just making a big play for them. That’s why we love Arrowhead.”

“Heartwarming” Kelce moment interrupted

The words of a man who knows it’s all over, or a player simply acknowledging that his next game at Arrowhead Stadium is several months away?

The Amazon Prime Video cameras certainly appeared to believe the former, as they attempted to follow a pensive Kelce down the tunnel toward the locker room.

However, a Chiefs staffer physically stopped the camera crew, footage that appeared on the broadcast and drew criticism online, with MLFootball calling the incident “weird” online.

According to NFL broadcaster Chase Snyder, the same staffer prevented cameras from filming the team after their Super Bowl win in 2023. “This is a guy that loves his job and shutting down heartwarming moments in Chiefs history,” Snyder wrote on X.

Clues point to a potential announcement?

We might still not have a definite answer as to if and when Kelce is retiring, but it feels as if more clues are hinting that an announcement could be just around the corner.

The Chiefs, already eliminated from postseason contention, have one road game remaining against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, January 4.

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