Travis Kelce Addresses Retirement Rumors Post-Super Bowl Loss

Yahoo

12-02-2025

is addressing speculation about whether the marked the final game of his NFL career.
The Kansas City Chiefs star opened up about his future on Wednesday's emotional episode of his "New Heights" podcast, co-hosted by Travis Kelce's brother, .
While he didn't confirm any decisions, the "Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?" host made it clear that he isn't rushing into anything just yet.
'I know everybody wants to know whether or not I'm playing next year,' he admitted, speaking to Jason, who retired from football in March 2024. 'Right now, I'm just kicking everything down the road. … 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 goes into this thing.'
Reflecting on his lengthy career, Travis acknowledged the toll the game has taken on his body. He recognized that he has 'been fortunate over the past five, six years' because he has 'played more football than anybody.'
'And it's because the people that are in that building, and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls, that means I'm playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league,' he added.
The back-to-back Super Bowl champion opened up about the physical and mental strain that comes with his level of play. 'That's a lot of wear and tear on your body," he said. "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, and that process can be grueling. It can weigh on you.'
Travis admitted that the extra time on the field can either help a player improve or 'drive [them] crazy.' In his case, he confessed that it had done the latter.
As he contemplates the next phase of his career, the 35-year-old tight end explained the internal battle that many athletes face when nearing the end of their time in the league. 'I think that it happens as you kind of tail off toward the back nine of your career … as you see yourself or not feel yourself have the success that you once used to have. Man, it's a tough pill to swallow.
'And then on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team's counting on you, man … it's just a tough reality.'
Ultimately, he emphasized that he wouldn't make any hasty decisions.
'I'm going to take some time to figure it out,' he said, noting that he owed it to his team to be fully committed if he returned. 'I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back then it's going to be something that is a wholehearted decision; I'm not half-assing it.
'I'm fully here for them. I think I can play — whether or not I'm motivated and it's the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.'
Beyond addressing his future in the league, Travis also reflected on the Chiefs' devastating loss in Sunday's Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.
'[It] just wasn't our day. Couldn't find a lick of momentum. I'm kicking myself for some of the tiny, tiny decisions I made on the field,' he admitted.
Still visibly emotional, he continued, 'I love my teammates. I love my coaches. Chiefs Kingdom, I'm sorry for how it ended.
'I wish I had made better decisions early on to help my guy [Patrick Mahomes] out and help my team find that momentum and that confidence. But you know, I just have to tip my hat to the [Philadelphia] Eagles.'
The Chiefs, who had been aiming for a historic three-peat, fell to the Eagles with a final score of 22-40.
Following the loss, Travis was seen solemnly walking off the field before making his way to the VIP suite, where his family and girlfriend, , were waiting for him. Instead of attending the team's afterparty, the tight end reportedly chose to spend the night in his hotel room with Swift and a few close friends.
In a post-game interview, he didn't shy away from acknowledging the team's shortcomings. 'I mean, they just got after us on all three phases, and then on top of that, you know, turnovers, penalties, playing behind the sticks on offense,' he said.
'We haven't played that bad all year. You don't lose like that without everything going bad.'
Despite the disappointment, he praised his teammates for giving it their all. 'Even with the score late, we were always gonna fight,' he said. 'We just couldn't find that spark. We couldn't find that momentum.'