Travis Kelce expands on reasoning for retirement decision

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce confirmed during Monday’s prime-time Super Bowl media event that he plans to return for at least one more season regardless of the result of this Sunday’s championship game versus the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Kelce expanded on his mindset while speaking with reporters on Thursday. 

“I’ve got a full heart of football left in me,” Kelce explained, as shared by Adam Teicher of ESPN. “I really love this game and I think throughout the year it can get pretty tough. But it’s moments like these, the playoffs, these memories that I’ll have with the teammates and coaches that I go to war with…wanting to keep that legacy or keep finding new ways to create those memories I think will, I don’t know, just keep fueling me and my love for football.”

Kelce admitted in the fall of 2023 that he had thought about retirement “more than anyone could ever imagine,” in part because of the numerous physical setbacks and surgeries he’s had to recover from as a pro. However, the 35-year-old has since said on multiple occasions that he’s committed to accumulating as many championship rings as possible until his body tells him it’s time to ride off into the sunset. 

While Kelce tallied just three touchdown catches during the 2024 regular season, he also led the Chiefs with 97 receptions and 823 receiving yards. Perhaps just as importantly as it pertains to Kansas City possibly becoming the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a row, Kelce also embraced more of a leadership role at this stage of his career. 

“I feel like this year I kind of stepped into a role of being more of a voice for the guys,” he added on Thursday. “We had a lot of new faces, whether it was guys that we picked up in the offseason or guys we picked up throughout the season…just being able to be there for the young guys and help them understand the offense better and hopefully understand how to weather the storm.”

DraftKings Sportsbook has routinely listed the Chiefs as 1.5-point favorites over the Eagles throughout Super Bowl week. While some are convinced Kelce will retire if he gets his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy this Sunday so he can fully enjoy his ongoing relationship with entertainment superstar Taylor Swift, it sounds like he doesn’t want this particular ride to end anytime soon.