Tight finish Travis Kelce has performed 12 seasons within the NFL and can flip 36 in October, so questions of whether or not or not he would return to the Kansas City Chiefs for a thirteenth yr have been plentiful. his resume, Kelce hasn’t left a lot to be desired with 10 Professional Bowl nods, 4 first-team All-Professional honors and three Super Bowl rings beneath his belt.
If he did resolve to retire he’d achieve this as a first-ballot Corridor of Famer and one among biggest tight ends of all time. However Kelce wasn’t prepared to depart the sphere simply but.
Kelce advised reporters Wednesday he made the choice to return again early within the offseason, saying it was one which got here simply.
“I really like soccer,” Kelce said. “I do not suppose I actually considered it that a lot. My family and friends and the group and the blokes and ladies on this constructing, I really like coming into work each single day.”
The way in which final season ended — a blowout Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — helped him resolve his path ahead.
“I actually did not really feel prefer it was my final recreation. Simply felt like I’ve acquired much more to show,” Kelce mentioned.
“It wasn’t a really powerful [decision] for me. I do know I am getting older, however on the similar time, I nonetheless really feel like I acquired lots that I can show on this league. It actually wasn’t that arduous of a choice for me.”
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Kelce made certain to make the choice after the sting of the championship loss cooled.
“You wish to let the feelings die down,” he mentioned. “That was the most important factor, you do not wish to make choices off preliminary feelings, however for probably the most half, as soon as they died down I nonetheless felt like I had that fireside in my chest to have the ability to preserve coming in and constructing and be higher and chase one other Tremendous Bowl.”
Kelce didn’t take part within the Chiefs’ OTAs however was again in Kansas Metropolis for obligatory minicamp. Final yr, he caught 97 passes for profession lows in yardage (823) and touchdowns (three).
Retirement questions will not finish as soon as Kelce confirmed that he was coming again for the 2025 season. Now the query is whether or not this upcoming season will probably be his final. He has one yr left on his contract and appeared to trace that he intends to play past this season, saying, “we’ll try to work out one thing for subsequent yr.”
“The Chiefs’ group is aware of how a lot I really like them. I can not see myself ever enjoying anyplace else, so we’ll cope with that down the street when the time is true. However proper now, I am centered on profitable a championship this yr,” Kelce mentioned.
“Championship” is the primary phrase on Kelce’s thoughts. Profitable three since 2020 with 5 general Tremendous Bowl appearances has re-wired his mind to solely seeing success as holding up the Lombardi Trophy on the finish of the season.
“I am solely all for Tremendous Bowl rings,” he mentioned.
He famous that the Lamar Hunt AFC Championship trophy means lots to the group and possession, the Hunt household, however for him it is that subsequent recreation that determines how he measures a yr.
“Final yr I believe I failed particularly in that final recreation in being a pacesetter and being the one that may step up and make performs. So simply setting the bar even greater for myself this yr than I’ve previously,” Kelce mentioned. “Final yr wasn’t a hit for me and I am motivated to verify we get that different ring this yr.”
The Chiefs are tied with the Eagles for the second-best odds of profitable all of it subsequent yr (+750), behind the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens (+700), through FanDuel Sportsbook.