Travis Kelce's subtle wording on a podcast, addressing Mahomes' injury, ignites fan speculation about his potential NFL retirement.
The writing may be on the wall for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and he may be giving hints as to what the future holds.
In the new episode of the New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason, Kelce’s wording surrounding the impact of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ injury made fans pause after hearing it.
“He's gonna make sure he comes back stronger than ever ... hopefully the Chiefs can get him back as soon as possible,” Kelce said.
The part of the quote that caught fans' attention was how, instead of Kelce saying “we”, he chose to instead say “the Chiefs.” After retirement rumors following the 36-year-old all season, he may have just accidentally given fans the answer on whether this season will be his last.
It wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise at this point, as Mahomes’ ACL tear greatly changes the outlook of next season for the Chiefs. Kelce has been Mahomes’ most reliable pass catcher in Kansas City since the two first shared the field. If Mahomes misses at least a significant chunk of 2026, it’d be understandable if Kelce doesn’t want that to be his last season, instead choosing to hang up his cleats at this season’s end.
Although this season hasn’t gone to plan by any means in Kansas City, Kelce wouldn’t be leaving the game with his head down. He was selected in the third round of the 2013 draft by the Chiefs and played a significant role in bringing Kansas City three Super Bowl victories.
The Mahomes-Kelce connection spearheaded one of football’s greatest dynasties and will live on in the record books. If Kelce is to retire at the season’s end, he would do so as the Chiefs' all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
He’s made 10 consecutive Pro Bowls and has made seven All-Pro teams in his 13 years in the NFL. From 2016 to 2022, Kelce tallied over 1,000 receiving yards per season. Although the last couple of seasons have seen some regression, Kelce has maintained his status as one of football’s best tight ends.
Though a retirement for Kelce is undoubtedly deserved after playing over 200 games for the Chiefs, it doesn’t mean it won’t bring lots of hurt with it. With how disappointing 2025 has been for the Chiefs, it would be unfortunate to see Kelce’s last season ending in such a fashion. Still, Kelce’s legacy wouldn’t be remembered for this last season, but rather for his dominance at the tight end position for nearly a decade and his contribution to Kansas City as a whole.