Most players and fans treated Thursday’s 20-13 Denver Broncos win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium as Travis Kelce’s farewell tour.
The team has one more regular-season game left on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, meaning if Kelce does, in fact, retire this offseason, he’s officially played his last home game as a member of the Chiefs.
After Thursday’s Christmas Day game ended, Kelce took a victory lap despite the loss, dapping up several Broncos players in what felt like his last ride in front of his hometown fans.
Kelce was asked about his retirement decision after the game, and he was careful not to tip his hand as to which way he’s leaning.
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“I’ll let that be a decision I’ll make with my family, friends, the Chiefs organization when the time comes,” Kelce told reporters.
Kelce decided last offseason near the end of February (shortly after Kansas City’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles) that he was coming back in 2025.
Some believe he may take a little more time this year to decide his NFL future, including ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who pointed out that Kelce’s brother Jason — a former All-Pro center for the Eagles who retired in 2024 — may have provided some insight on when to expect Kelce’s final decision.
“Re: Travis Kelce’s future, Jason Kelce’s timeline in final years feels relevant: March 10, 2022: Announced return, March 13, 2023: Announced return, March 4, 2024: Announced retirement. Travis is his own man but it wouldn’t shock if he took some real time to figure things out,” Fowler wrote on X.
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Most believe Kelce’s NFL career has run its course, especially given his upcoming wedding to pop star Taylor Swift.
However, the 11-time Pro Bowler hinted before playing the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX over 10 months ago that he still planned to be playing in the NFL for multiple years.
“Hopefully still playing football,” Kelce said back in February. “I love doing this, I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens.
“I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”
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