Kelce Addresses Game 217, Potentially His Final NFL Appearance

Kansas City Chiefs tight end still has significant landmarks to reach on Sunday.

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after first down during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Here’s the extreme version of testing how much an NFL player loves his job.

Hand him his team’s worst season in 11 years, keep him out of the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and end his streak of nine straight division titles and three consecutive Super Bowl appearances.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with head coach Andy Reid with tight end Travis Kelce (87) before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Strip him of Patrick Mahomes and give him third-string starter Chris Oladokun. Then, send him to play the league’s worst team in the season finale of what could be the 217th and final NFL game of his 13-year Hall of Fame career.

“It's Vegas, man. It's Raiders Week, man,” Travis Kelce said on this week’s edition of New Heights. “No matter what the score is, obviously, two teams where we know our season ends after this Sunday, and you're just playing for the love of the game and the honor of wearing the Chiefs helmet in a fierce rivalry, man.

Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) looks to gain yardage against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

“And I know we've already beat them once. We gave them a goose egg. And they're going to be ready for this one. They're going to be excited for this one. And I know Pete Carroll is going to have those guys fired up and ready to rock and roll, knowing how motivating he is. And they're at home where they're comfortable. And I'm excited to go out to Vegas and finish this year off.”

Tight-lipped this week

No mention of finishing off a career. Not even a third-person reference to his team, like two weeks ago. A wise person once said those who love what they do never work a day in their lives. Kelce is the poster child.

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts during the second half against the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Because the tight end’s current contract expires after Sunday’s game, his situation is a bit different than last year. A Super Bowl blowout left him with a bad taste in his mouth, hungry to return and go out on a better note.

The Chiefs spiraled, however. They need a win over the Raiders on Sunday (3:25 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan) to end a five-game losing streak, something Kelce has experienced only once previously. The Chiefs have never lost six straight since Andy Reid became head coach in 2013 and the team drafted Kelce three months later.

The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce gets hit and Michael Johnson forced a fumble. Reggie Nelson scooped up the ball and returned it 25 yards to the Chiefs? 5-yard line. Jeremy Hill later ran in from five yards out to give the Bengals a 27-15 lead. in the XX quarter during the NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. | Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Win avoids six-game losing streak

The only other time Kansas City lost five in a row was early in 2015. The Chiefs rebounded from a 1-6 start to advance all the way to the divisional round of the playoffs.

Regardless of whether the Chiefs beat the Raiders on Sunday, Kelce will cap his 13th season with some impressive career numbers. He has two more milestones to reach on Sunday.

Nov. 30, 2008; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) before the game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Kelce needs 10 yards to become just the third tight end in league history with 13,000 career receiving yards, joining Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez (15,127) and Jason Witten (13,046).

Surpassing Witten is obviously within range. Kelce needs 57 yards on Sunday to claim No. 2 on that all-time tight ends list.

And with 1,077 career regular-season receptions, Kelce needs only two to surpass Terrell Owens (1,078) for No. 8 on the league’s all-time receiving list (all players).

The Internet’s most thorough Chiefs news is right here at OnSI. So, Chiefs Kingdom, now that you’ve located us, stay updated with our absolutely FREE newsletter, emailed each morning: SIGN UP HERE NOW.