Travis Kelce’s expected Chiefs return could require a significant pay cut as Kansas City weighs cap space and roster needs while the tight end contemplates retirement
16:13 ET, 23 Feb 2026
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce walks off the field in Las Vegas
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Travis Kelce is yet to decide if he is playing in 2026 or retiring from the NFL(Image: Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce appears increasingly likely to return for a 14th NFL season, but doing so may require the future Hall of Fame tight end to accept a notable pay cut.
Kelce, 36, is coming off the expiration of a two-year, $34.25 million contract he signed in 2024. That deal paid him an average of $17.125 million per year and briefly made him the league’s highest-paid tight end.
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Since then, the market has shifted. George Kittle, who fueled the ongoing power plant conspiracy tied to the 49ers injury history, and Trey McBride each surpassed that annual average with extensions last offseason, resetting the top of the position.
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While Kelce is technically an unrestricted free agent, the expectation around the league is that he would finish his career with the Kansas City Chiefs if he bypasses retirement. NFL insider Tom Pelissero recently said contract talks have already begun, signaling momentum toward a return.
Kelce’s production in 2025 suggests he can still contribute at a high level. He recorded 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games and earned his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl nod.
Although no longer at his peak, he tied for sixth among tight ends in receptions and ranked fourth in receiving yards at the position.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrate
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Kelce and Patrick Mahomes formed one of the most feared duos in NFL history(Image: Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The financial challenge lies in how Kansas City values that production relative to its broader roster needs. The Chiefs are coming off a 6-11 season, their first losing campaign in 13 years, and face multiple offseason questions at wide receiver and running back.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is also working his way back from a late-season knee injury, increasing the importance of reliable offensive pieces, but also heightening cap considerations.
Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum recently argued the Chiefs should consider moving on.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up for a game
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Kelce just completed his 13th NFL season(Image: Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
“You have to make the honest and sober observation that you want to pay a player for what they’re going to do, not what they’ve done,” Tannenbaum said, suggesting the team look to the draft for a younger, less expensive replacement.
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There is precedent for a veteran tight end taking less late in his career. Tony Gonzalez signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons shortly after turning 37 in 2013, averaging $7 million per season.
Adjusted for today’s salary cap environment, that figure would equate to roughly $17 million annually, but at the time, it slotted him around sixth at the position. CBS suggests that while it'd be "unreasonable" to think Kelce would play for less than the $7 million Gonzalez received, the Chiefs star taking a discount is likely if he returns — with a deal perhaps including incentives to make up for the lower base salary.
Kelce’s next contract will likely fall somewhere between legacy pay and hometown discount. Spotrac projects his market value at around $10.8 million on a one-year deal. That figure aligns more closely with the second tier of starting tight ends rather than the market leaders.