Chiefs' GM Comes Clean About Kelce's Condition Prior to Super Bowl

According to GM Brett Veach, TE Travis Kelce was dealing with an illness prior to Super Bowl LIX.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up before playing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Super Bowl LIX wasn't the greatest showing for the Kansas City Chiefs. There was slopiness on both sides of the ball: while the offense couldn't get it going, the defense struggled to get stops against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. One player who wishes he played better was none other than the Chiefs' star TE, Travis Kelce.

On a "New Heights" podcast episode that Kelce hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis confessed that he didn't play at the level he wanted to, and that he feels like he let down his teammates and his fans.

“I’m kicking myself for some of the tiny, tiny decisions I made on the field," Kelce explained. "I wasn’t the best leader that I could be in motivating my guys and keeping my guys calm, cool and collected.”

During Super Bowl LIX, Kelce ended the game with 4 catches for 39 yards, quite a different scene than Kelce's 7 for 117 and a touchdown against the Houston Texans in the divisional just a few weeks prior. While the loss of a team can't be blamed on the doing of one player, new reports might give us the answer as to Kelce maybe wasn't playing at his best.

General manager Brett Veach confessed to NFL Network that Kelce was 'battling with a pretty big illness during the Super Bowl.'

#Chiefs GM Brett Veach told me Travis Kelce “was battling with a pretty big illness” before the Super Bowl. But the team doesn’t believe that loss to the #Eagles will be Kelce’s last game. At age 35, “I think that Travis is excited to come back.”

Full interview on The Insiders: pic.twitter.com/aJrFtsW6Dw

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 26, 2025

Illness played a big part in this year's title game, as many Eagles players such as nose-tackle Jalen Carter came down with a version of the flu just mere days before the big game. While the illness that Kelce was dealing with might have just been an insignificant hiccup, it could prove as to why Kelce wasn't playing as the dominant pass-catcher that he normally is.

This information from Veach came as part of a long response as to where he sees Kelce's role treading towards in the upcoming season. Veach was certain Kelce can still play at a high-level, saying that he expects Kelce to play next year: " "We anticipate Travis being back ... and that's how we're operating this offseason."

Whether or not Kelce's illness played a factor in that game, many believe that Kelce still has what it takes to play good football next season. Brett Veach and Andy Reid have both come out saying that Kelce is on his way to returning for a 13th season.