Travis Kelce Addresses Possibility of Retirement Ahead of Chiefs' Season Opener

Travis Kelce's contract will expire after 2025, raising questions about his NFL future.
Travis Kelce's contract will expire after 2025, raising questions about his NFL future. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Travis Kelce's NFL career is close to its end. The 35-year-old Chiefs' star tight end has slowed down over the last few years both physically and statistically, and nearly retired last offseason. Now that he's engaged to the world-famous Taylor Swift it's hard not to wonder whether Kelce might choose to step away and embrace life after football soon. Adding to the narrative is that Kelce is entering the final year of his Chiefs contract.

It's been a talking point all offseason, and on Thursday Kelce was asked if the 2025 season was his "last dance" as Kansas City prepares to open the season in Brazil against the Chargers.

"It's the last [year] on the contract right now." Kelce said, "But I'll tell you what: I'm feeling young, and I'm feeling ready to rock, baby."

It's a familiar refrain. Whenever Kelce, his teammates, and his coaches have been asked about the possibility of retirement they have offered non-committal answers while noting Kelce looks young as ever.

So it's anybody's guess right now as to whether Kelce is going to hang up the cleats following this season. Either way the Chiefs will need him to return to form as they attempt to bounce back from last year's embarrassing Super Bowl loss.


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Liam McKeone
LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.