Between their historically lopsided loss at Super Bowl LIX, their 6-11 regular season record, and Patrick Mahomes’ torn ACL, it certainly seems as if the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty has all but come to an end.
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To make matters even worse, many have believed this to be the final season of Travis Kelce’s career on account of his wedding date with Taylor Swift. The 36-year-old tight end has made it clear that he won’t be rushing to make a decision on his retirement.
After all, when you’ve held the exact same job title for 13 consecutive years, it can be a bit difficult to imagine yourself doing anything else. Tom Brady, too, believes that the 11-time Pro Bowler should strongly consider lacing up the cleats for at least one more season in 2026.
“He doesn’t need my advice. The guy has had a Hall of Fame career without any of mine, he doesn’t need it now. He’s a stud, man. What a great player he’s been. He could still play. He looked great this year and I thought it was one of the best year’s he’s had in a long time. I love watching him play. I love his personality. I love his temperament. I love his competitiveness. He’s one of the all-time greats that ever played this game.”
When speaking with his brother, Jason, during the latest episode of their New Heights podcast, Kelce seemed to be more focused on rest and rehabilitation more so than anything else, noting “Every season ends for me, I put my feet up and I just be a human because I’ve been putting my body through the ringer for the love of it.”
In what could only be described as his own personal brand of sadomasochism, however, he then promptly explained that he still enjoys “playing football and the physical aspect of it, “and that “there’s something about feeling the wear and tear of the football season, getting ready for a game, knowing that your body’s … beat down, man. I think there’s something to it (that) makes you just feel like a mangy animal that just is out here, just finding a way to survive. And I just love that.”
Whether Kelce ultimately walks away or returns for a 14th season, his legacy in Kansas City is already secure. Few players have blended dominance, durability, and personality the way he has, and even fewer have done it while helping to build one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties.
Retirement may be looming, but Kelce’s own words make one thing clear: the grind still calls to him. And as long as that competitive fire keeps burning, it wouldn’t be surprising to see No. 87 back on the field, chasing one more chapter in a career already written in gold.
