Travis Kelce’s name belongs in any serious conversation about elite tight ends. The Kansas City Chiefs star has stacked up 10 Pro Bowl selections and four first-team All-Pro honors while anchoring the most dominant dynasty of the 2020s.
He might not crack the tight end Mount Rushmore, but he’d land in the top five on just about every NFL list that matters. The thing is, nobody’s quite sure how much longer he’ll be around. Kelce is working through the final year of his contract, and retirement chatter has been following him like a shadow for months now.
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His expiring deal has only made the speculation louder, leaving fans and analysts alike wondering if 2025 could be his last ride in Kansas City.
On Friday, Kelce addressed the uncertainty. He made it clear he plans to sit down with the Chiefs once the season wraps up to figure out what’s next, but before free agency and the draft.
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“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said. “I’d like to make that decision before they’ve got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately. All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then.”
Travis Kelce says he wants to make a decision on coming back in 2026 before the beginning of the new league year in mid-March so the Chiefs have a good idea of his plans before free agency and the draft in April. pic.twitter.com/eNUYkipXSa
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) November 21, 2025
Kelce has been a cornerstone of Kansas City’s run to three Super Bowl titles over the past five years. His ability to exploit mismatches, act as Patrick Mahomes’ go-to target, and lead in the locker room has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats at his position.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) walks the sideline before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Right now though, Kelce and the Chiefs are navigating some choppy waters.
At 5-5 and sitting third in the AFC West heading into Week 12, Kansas City finds itself in unfamiliar territory for a team that’s spent years dominating the division.
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