No-Brainer or Not, Why Chiefs Should Make Intelligent Kelce Decision

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Travis Kelce said earlier this month that he remembers plays he didn’t make more than game-winning touchdowns.

But he’ll certainly remember even more, after a 13-year Hall of Fame career, the Chiefs telling him they no longer want him.

Increasing buzz

That’s the growing buzz circulating as the league begins the scouting combine this week in Indianapolis, whether the Chiefs would want Kelce – or want him at an agreed value – should he decide to continue playing.

But Brett Veach and Andy Reid, if they haven’t already, should at least discuss whether moving on from Kelce makes sense.

“I wouldn't do it,” said former Jets and Dolphins general manager Mike Tannenbaum on Monday’s edition of Get Up. “You have to make the honest and sober observation whether you want to pay a player for what they're going to do, not what they've done. He is slowing down.

“When you look at the best tight ends in the game right now, Trey McBride is 27, Brock Bowers is 25, Sam LaPorta is 25. There's some really good tight ends in the draft, like Kenyon Sadiq, Max Klaire, Michael Trigg amongst others. If I'm Kansas City, go get the next guy. Honor Travis Kelce for what he's done, but go get the next young tight end and go take care of these other needs.”

Assuming he returns, and Reid sounded highly optimistic toward that end last week, re-signing Kelce to a free-agent contract certainly shouldn’t be a slam-dunk, zero-thought move – especially considering the Chiefs could be moving on too late if they do it a year from now.

But those who watched Kelce’s every snap over 17 games in 2025 would certainly argue that he’s not slowing down as much as some would expect for a player who turns 37 in October. He changed his offseason workout regimen before the 2025 opener and showed more stamina and fluidity than the prior Super Bowl season.

Just ask Denver strong safety Talanoa Hufanga, who bit on Kelce’s move when the tight end scored on 21-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown in Week 11. That’s why another move – re-signing Kelce – still seems prudent, assuming the Chiefs can agree on a price and, more importantly, Kecle isn’t the Chiefs’ leading receiver for a fifth consecutive season.

“It’s a no-brainer, absolutely,” said Super Bowl-winning analyst Jason McCourty. “We're bringing him back not only because of what he's done and what he means -- he's going to obviously be at first-ballot Hall of Famer for what he's done in the Kansas City Chiefs uniform -- but he was still good last year.

“I think sometimes we get caught up on the fact that Travis Kelce has been so good throughout his career that when he has a little bit of a slide, we look at it and say, ‘Oh, he's no longer good.’ No, he still was at the top of the NFL when it comes to receptions and yards among tight ends. So, he is still up there … this is still a very productive player that deserves to still be in that Kansas City Chiefs uniform.”

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