Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce says he will “take some time” before deciding whether to retire from the NFL following his side’s Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce starred in the Chiefs’ first 2025 playoff game against the Houston Texans but struggled in a victory over the Buffalo Bills before failing to make an impact as the Eagles delivered a dominant 40-22 victory in New Orleans on Sunday.
The 35-year-old spoke candidly about his future during the latest episode New Heights, the podcast he appears on with his brother – and former NFL star – Jason Kelce.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes describes his Super Bowl 59 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as the ‘worst feeling in the world’.
“I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year. And right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road,” Kelce said.
“I’m kicking every can I can down the road and I’m not making any crazy decisions.
“Right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my team-mates and being there for my coaches, understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this thing.”
Kelce, along with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, have been the centrepieces of a remarkable run for the Chiefs that has seen them reach seven successive AFC Championship games.
On Sunday they were going for a historic third successive Super Bowl victory – and a fourth title in six years.
Kelce, whose star has only grown since he began dating popstar Taylor Swift in 2023, admits the Chiefs’ incredible success has taken a toll on him.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Travis Kelce led the Chiefs’ celebrations following their AFC Championship win over the Bills, as Taylor Swift watched on!
He said: “I’ve been fortunate over the past five-six years, I’ve played more football than anybody and it’s because the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls.
“That means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. And that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. And it’s a lot of time spent in the building focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand, every challenge that you set up for yourself.
“And that process can be gruelling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy at the same time.
“And right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year. And I think that it happens as you kind of tail off towards the back nine of your career.”
After accumulating 117 receiving yards and scoring a touchdown against the Texans, Kelce managed just a total of six catches for 58 yards in the final two games of the Chiefs’ campaign.
Those numbers represented a significant drop-off from last year’s post-season, when he played a key role in each of the four wins that took the Chiefs to Super Bowl glory.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
In case you missed it, take a look at everything that unraveled in New Orleans at Super Bowl 59.
He added: “As you see yourself or not feel yourself have the success that you once used to have, man, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
“And then on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team’s counting on you, man. Those are all extremely hard things. It’s just a tough reality.
“I think I’m going to take some time to figure it out. And I think I owe it to my team-mates that if I do come back, that it’s going to be something that… it’s a wholehearted decision, I’m not half-assing it, I’m fully here for them.
“I think I can play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
