Kansas City Chiefs fans presumably rejoiced when they heard that tight end Travis Kelce officially announced earlier this month that he was returning in 2025 for his 13th NFL season.
The 10-time Pro Bowler has been a franchise fixture since 2014, and though he's had back-to-back down seasons, he's still a large part of Kansas City's passing attack.
Many expected Kelce to retire after Super Bowl LIX last month, but a 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles was something he couldn't get over, and he admitted on his "New Heights" podcast that an 18-point blowout loss in the biggest game of the year was not the way he wanted his career to end.
"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 what it's been in year's past," he said. "I want to give it a good run. I've got a bad taste in my mouth on how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me. … I don't want to leave that life yet."
And while Kelce's retirement decision was ultimately his to make, he also consulted longtime girlfriend Taylor Swift before making his final choice.
RadarOnline reported nearly three weeks ago that Kelce continuing his NFL career had put a strain on his relationship with Swift because of her desire to settle down and start a family right now, and according to a new report from the Daily Mail, it sounds like Kelce is prepared to make a big sacrifice for Swift.
"With all this free time with Taylor and all this travel they are doing together, it is getting Travis to learn what retirement will be like," a source told the Daily Mail. "He is loving this time with Taylor, and he is very happy it is all going well because this is what he will be dealing with after his playing days are over.
"Travis is going to go all in on this [next] season, as he expects it to be his last. He wants to retire as a Chief... and his contract is up after this year. [So] his current idea is to hang it up after this season."
Kelce playing just one more year before officially retiring may not seem like much of a sacrifice considering most believe he's on the tail end of his career, but he did tell reporters during Super Bowl week that he saw himself still playing for the Chiefs three years from now.
The Daily Mail's report implies that Kelce could be cutting his career a bit shorter than initially planned to make Swift happy.
Related: Taylor Swift Makes Major Decision About Attending Travis Kelce's Games Next Season
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 12:07 AM.