It's no secret that Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce did not put up the stats that fans have grown accustomed to last season. And as he heads into another season with the team, it sounds like head coach Andy Reid has a telling plan about how he might be used in 2025.
After briefly considering retirement, Kelce announced in February that he would indeed be back with the team for at least one more season.
Last season, Kelce posted career-worst numbers in nearly every major receiving statistic, with his numbers falling in yards per game, yards per reception, and yards after the catch while recording fewer touchdowns this season than in any other season since he became a starter.
Kelce acknowledges that he did not play particularly well last year, but he still thinks he's capable of playing better than he did.
"I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year," Kelce said as he announced his return. "I don't think it was my best outing, you know? 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 how I've been in years past. You know, I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth about how I ended the year and how well I was playing, and how accountable I was for the people around me."
During a recent interview, Reid opened up a little bit about Kelce's return to the team. Reid said that he was informed "less than week" after the season ended that Kelce would be returning the following season, and he already likes what he's seen from his offseason training.
"I just wanted him to put it out there and not me," Reid said, according to The Independent. "I always like guys to step back (after the season), but he wants to come back and he's training like crazy, too."
While it does sound like Kelce is putting in the work this offseason to make sure he's in top shape to begin the 2025 season, Reid did indicate that Kelce could play less this season in order to keep the 35-year-old effective when he is on the field.
"I'll see when he comes back and see where he's at," Reid said.
Obviously, this is a telling plan from Reid, as it seems that the coach is admitting that Kelce is simply not the same player he used to be when it comes to his physical fitness, and the team is going to have to change the way they use him in the offense.
We'll have to see what kind of changes the team makes and how often Kelce is on the field compared to previous years.
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM.