“I still feel like I can play it at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year,” Travis Kelce wasn’t joking when he said this. After their Super Bowl loss to the Eagles last season, the Chiefs‘ stars have continued to be on the radar. And none more so than the Chiefs # 87. Be it the rumors of his retirement or his love life with Grammy-winning artist Taylor Swift, he made headlines. Now, he is back at it. And if there are any doubts, Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid‘s words might tell you otherwise.
Travis Kelce is entering the final year of his two-year contract with the Chiefs as he returns for his 13th NFL season. And he hasn’t come back unprepared. Back on the field, he’s already turning heads. And the first one to rave about the star is Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid. He couldn’t be more satisfied with Kelce’s performance. And it may have even reminded him of Kelce in his prime, like he’s back in his 20s.
“He’s svelte right now. He looks like he’s 20. He’s doing a great job. He’s in great shape. And I’m not sure — he didn’t come in first during the whole conditioning thing, [but] he was right up front,” Reid said. During the practice session, he looked in top form during camp, showing strong chemistry with Patrick Mahomes. He beat defenders with signature moves and displayed his renewed burst with a 40-yard touchdown, promising signs for the Chiefs’ offense.
The long hours grinding in the Florida gym seem to have paid off. The Chiefs’ star has clearly returned with more power than ever! The HC further added, “You can see he’s been working out. You saw him yesterday on the long run where he had the burst. He’s done a nice job. He’s worked hard to get to this spot.” There were earlier rumors that he had lost 25 pounds. While the 10× Pro Bowler dismissed those rumors, he alluded that he has indeed lost some weight to be in better shape. And it clearly working for him.
Even sports producer Nick Jacobs took to X and wrote, “For those wondering about Travis Kelce. Yes he has his old burst back and showcased it on a handful of catches. His over the middle routes looked trademark Kelce.” Yeah, it’s true that after last year’s underwhelming performance, there was concern about the tight end’s decline. His 823 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 were his career lows, apart from his first year. But this isn’t the time yet for him to retire. Kelce clearly has a lot in him to prove to the team and fandom he loves. It’s understandable why he didn’t retire this year.
Andy Reid wants what every Chiefs fan does for Travis Kelce!
The Super Bowl win is a big part of the picture. But it wouldn’t have been possible without the key players who helped secure it in the past. For a while now, rumors of his retirement have stirred conversation. And while he’s clearly back on the field this season, there’s still uncertainty about whether he’ll return next year.
Kelce has openly said he has no interest in playing for any team other than the Chiefs. “I love coming in to work every single day. It wasn’t a very tough one for me. I know I’m getting older, but at the same time I still feel like I’ve got a lot I can prove in this league. With that being said, it really wasn’t that hard of a decision for me,” he said.
With this being the final year of his current contract, retirement in 2026 feels like a real possibility. He might have if the Chiefs had completed their historic three-peat. Since that didn’t happen and that unfinished business is one of the reasons that has kept him going.
At the same time, Kelce hasn’t completely shut the door. If the opportunity is right, he might decide to suit up for another season. Speaking about that little hope that he might return for another year, Reid said, “You hope he plays forever, but that’s probably not gonna happen to any of us. So whenever he decides to hang it up, he’s built a great legacy here. And if he decides this is it, it’s it. If not, more power to him.” Reid has always had praise for the TE.
Or maybe, even if he leads the team to yet another championship, this could still mark the end of his incredible era with the Chiefs.
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