After a year full of rumors and speculation about whether or not he could hang up the cleats after the 2024 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has addressed any potential hints of retirement.
Kelce did not exactly have a season that matched his standards in 2024, leading many to wonder if he could possibly call it a career once the Chiefs’ campaign ends.
But speaking to reporters on Super Bowl Opening Night in New Orleans, Kelce wasn’t exactly committed to the idea of retiring at the conclusion of Super Bowl LIX.
When asked where he hoped he’d be in the next three years, Kelce replied, ‘Hopefully still playing football. I love doing this, I love coming into work every day.
‘I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens. I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long.
‘You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.’
Kelce has been exploring his potential career in front of him once his time on the football field has come to an end.
In the offseason, Kelce had a recurring role in the FX horror show ‘Grotesquerie’ – produced and created by Ryan Murphy of ‘American Horror Story’ fame.
Kelce is also lined up for a cameo in the sequel to the Adam Sandler comedy classic ‘Happy Gilmore’.
Not only has Kelce been in acting roles, he’s also been deputizing as a game show host – serving as the face of Amazon Prime’s ‘Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?’
In addition, he’s been in commercials promoting brands like Pepsi, Subway, State Farm, and Lowe’s among others.
Needless to say, Kelce – whose relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift has continued going strong – has plenty of opportunities that could appear at his feet once he hangs up the pads.
But when that might be is still uncertain. Even with this statement, Kelce has been playing coy about when he could end his career all season long.
It comes after his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, decided to call it a career a season earlier.
This season, Kelce had been struggling making catches and gaining yards – despite going 15-2 in the regular season with Kansas City.
But in 16 games played, Kelce only caught for 823 yards and three touchdowns. Outside of his rookie season, when he played just one game, those are both the lowest numbers of his career.
Kelce hadn’t caught for less than 900 yards since the 2015 season. But now, at age 35, he’s not been putting up raw numbers like he used to.
Much like the regular season, Kelce hasn’t been the most consistent in the postseason either.
Sure, he leads the Chiefs in receiving yards with 136. Yes, he is tied with Xavier Worthy for the lead in touchdown catches with one.
However, Kelce only caught two passes on four targets for 19 yards and no touchdowns in the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills.
Regardless of his consistency, Kelce has remained a threat for opposing teams just by his sheer presence.
Expect that to be the same case on Sunday night, when the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s a rematch of Super Bowl LVII that was held in Arizona just two seasons prior.
There, the Chiefs won 38-35 thanks to a field goal from Harrison Butker in the final minute of the game.
Kansas City followed that title up with another one the next season – beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII to win back-to-back titles.
Now, Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs have the chance to do something no other team has done – win three Super Bowls in a row.
Kelce’s focus is clearly on that aim now. Once the game against the Philadelphia Eagles comes to an end, then he’ll be able to celebrate – but will have a big decision to make for his future ahead once the confetti stops falling.
