KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While still processing the Chiefs’ loss to the Eagles Sunday in Super Bowl LIX, tight end Travis Kelce said he plans to “take some time” to weigh his options.
Many have speculated about the future of the 35-year-old.
On Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights,” the podcast Kelce co-hosts with his brother Jason, No. 87 said he is aware “everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year.”
“Right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road. I’m kicking every can I can down the road,” Kelce said on the podcast. “I’m not making any crazy decisions, but, right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this thing.”
The Chiefs’ impressive run of five AFC conference titles in six seasons and five Super Bowl appearances in six seasons has contributed to additional “wear and tear” on the team.
“I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody. And it’s because of the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls,” Kelce said. “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.”
He explained the process can be “grueling,” improving players while also driving them crazy at the same time.
“… It’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year,” Kelce admitted. “ I think that it happens as you kind of tail off toward the back nine of your career…”
Reflecting on the Super Bowl LIX loss, Kelce said it’s a “tough pill to swallow” to not achieve the success you want and have seen in the past.
While he is a Hall of Fame shoo-in, Kelce shouldered some of the loss, blaming himself for not being there for his team to help spark momentum earlier.
"It's just a tough reality," Kelce said.
On a day that just didn’t go the Chiefs’ way, Kelce said he felt fortunate to be surrounded by supportive friends and family who helped him not feel like it was “the worst day of my life.”
“This sport can humble you so fast,” he said. “…It can shoot you to the moon, and it can bury you.”
As he lets the season sink in, he said he wants to be intentional with his decision so his teammates know it’s “wholehearted.”
“I think I could 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 person to take on all that responsibility,” Kelce said.
Kelce agreed to a contract adjustment in 2024. He signed a two-year, $34,250,000 deal, with $17 million guaranteed at signing.
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