The Kansas City Chiefs finished with a 6-11 record last season in the NFL. Kansas City missed the playoffs, and it is going to be interesting to see what they are going to do this offseason. The Chiefs will have the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. One of the main questions for Kansas City will be, can quarterback Patrick Mahomes be ready for Week 1 for the NFL season or not? He tore his ACL in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Feb 13, 2026; Pebble Beach, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (left) and NFL former quarterback Alex Smith (right) on the 10th hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Another question for Kansas City will be, will tight end Travis Kelce return next season or will he retire? Kelce has nothing left to prove in his NFL career. He has no doubt been showing some signs of decline as an NFL player. Kelce is 36 years old. Should he retire or not?
NFL Analyst Believes That the Kansas City Chiefs Should Not Bring Back Travis Kelce Next Season
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February 13, 2026; Pebble Beach, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (second from left) smiles with Keith Mitchell (right) on the first hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Jason McCourty was on the show Get Up on ESPN, and he believes that Kansas City should bring back Kelce next season. On the other hand, Mike Tannenbaum believes that the Chiefs should not bring him back next season. He said,
“I wouldn’t do it. He’s slowing down. There are some really good tight ends in the draft. Go get them.”
He is correct that the Chiefs should not bring him back next season. Kansas City would be reaching if they drafted Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq ninth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is projected to get drafted later in the first round.
Kelce during the 2025 season with Kansas City caught 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns, along with averaging 11.2 yards per reception. Kelce was also targeted 108 times. He has been in the NFL since the 2013 season. There is no doubt that he is a future hall of famer and should be in on the first ballot. With that being said, Tanenbaum is right that Kelce has nothing left in the tank for Kansas City and he is probably better off retiring and enjoying the golf course and his love life with Taylor Swift.
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