With a little over a week until NFL free agency begins, the Kansas City Chiefs are presumably wanting to know whether or not star tight end Travis Kelce plans to play again next season.
Kelce had a bounce back year in 2025, logging 76 catches, 851 yards, and five touchdowns while leading the team in every major statistical category.
The problem is, Kelce's retirement decision has dragged out much longer than it did last year when he announced he was coming back at the end of February, just a few weeks after the Super Bowl.
So when does Kelce plan to make his decision this year? Well, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs expect some answer from Kelce sometime this week.
"Do the Kansas City Chiefs need a tight end? The future of Travis Kelce still very much up in the air," Rapoport stated on Monday. "Obviously, there's plenty of discussion. General manager Brett Veach talking to reporters saying they really wanted to allow Travis Kelce to go through is process to make absolutely sure he's going to return for the 2026 season. As of right now, that has not been fully determined.
"There has been some discussion about a potential contract…only going to play for the Kansas City Chiefs. But they want to make sure when there is a decision he is 1,000% all in. This week, we should have some answers from Kansas City. What we know is they for sure want him back, especially considering how he played last year."
Head coach Andy Reid confirmed to reporters at the combine last week that he has been in contact with Kelce, which seemingly indicates that he's leaning toward playing.
Multiple reports from several NFL insiders have also indicated that Kelce's situation is trending toward him returning for a 14th season.
"There is communication," Reid said. "That’s the main thing. I’ve said this before - as long as there’s communication, I’m good. That means people want to move forward. I think that’s where Travis is."
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