Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce briefly considered retirement following the team's Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. While the move undoubtedly would have given him more time with his superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, he instead opted to return for one more season.
While Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly pleased by Kelce's decision to return, given that Kelce has been his favorite target throughout his career, it doesn't sound like he influenced Kelce's decision.
During a recent press conference, Mahomes broke his silence on the situation with Kelce as he admitted that he and his star tight end actually never discussed whether or not he would return before he announced his decision.
"We never talked about it," Mahomes said, according to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride. "I think you have that in the back of your mind - I mean, for anybody that's played a lot of football seasons, there's always a chance. You have to put in the work in the offseason. I think everybody wants to play in the games, but putting the work in the offseason [is] where stuff gets strenuous."
By his own admission, Kelce struggled a bit last season, putting up the worst numbers of his career in nearly every statistical category.
"I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year," Kelce said earlier this year after making his decision to return. "I don't think it was my best outing, you know? I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I've been in years past. You know, I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth about how I ended the year and how well I was playing, and how accountable I was for the people around me."
Even the legendary tight end nears the end of his career, Mahomes seems to agree with his assessment, insisting that Kelce looks "ready to go."
"I think y'all can see it - he's ready to go," Mahomes said. "He's been putting in the work this offseason, and he's excited for another chance to make a run at it."
We'll have to see how Kelce performs in what could be the final season of his career.
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This story was originally published June 19, 2025 at 12:42 PM.