Chiefs expect Travis Kelce back for 2025, despite retirement talk

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach expects tight end Travis Kelce to see out the final year of his contract, despite the veteran considering retirement following Super Bowl 59.

Kelce, 35, played a key role in the Chiefs’ dominance over recent years, helping them reach five of the past six Super Bowls. However, after Kansas City’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month, he admitted he was weighing up his future in the NFL.

Veach confirmed that Kelce has yet to make a final decision but indicated there was no urgency for him to do so.

“He has one more year under contract,” Veach said. “We left it at ‘he’d be back,’ and we’re excited to have him back. As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline.”

Head coach Andy Reid echoed Veach’s sentiment, stating that Kelce would take time to assess his options before deciding on his future.

“We did have a chance to talk before they left,” Reid said. “[His future is] up to Travis. At this point, it’s ‘get out of town.’ They’ve played a lot of football here, so step back, then we’ll talk.”

Kelce recorded 97 receptions for 823 yards in the 2024 regular season, his lowest yardage total since 2014. Despite this, he remains one of the league’s top tight ends, having surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for seven consecutive seasons from 2016-22.

Speaking on his New Heights podcast, Kelce admitted the physical toll of multiple deep playoff runs had made him think about retirement.

“I just have to take a second and really sit back and see how I want to move forward,” he said. “I’m not making any crazy decisions just yet.”

Kelce’s relationship with pop star Taylor Swift has also increased speculation about his future, with some suggesting he could transition into a media career or other off-field ventures.

For now, the Chiefs are planning for the 2025 season with Kelce in their lineup, but his final decision remains uncertain.