Patrick Mahomes makes bold Travis Kelce claim following Super Bowl dud as retirement rumors swirl

New York Post

a day ago

Patrick Mahomes sees a very different Travis Kelce at Chiefs camp as retirement rumors continue to swirl around the star tight end.
Mahomes was asked about Kelce at Chiefs' OTAs on Friday and the possibility of it being his final season.
But the former MVP doesn't see someone who looks like he is on his way out of the NFL.
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Instead, he sees a Kelce who is more engaged than ever after a poor season by his standards that ended with a loss in Super Bowl 2025 to the Eagles.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) following the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 2025.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
'If it's the last ride, you would never know,' Mahomes said. 'The way he's talking about football, the way he's talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year, he doesn't seem like a guy like it's his last ride, like he's tired of the job.'
Kelce, 35, is coming off a season in which he had 97 receptions for a career-low 823 yards and just three touchdowns – also the worst output of his career.
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He wasn't much better in the playoffs, making just 13 catches for 175 yards, one touchdown and seven first downs, as the Chiefs failed to complete a historic three-peat.
Kelce particularly struggled in Super Bowl 2025, with four catches for 39 yards.
The underwhelming postseason raised questions about Kelce's future as he enters the final year of his two-year, $34 million contract.
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Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during the press conference interviews after the Kansas City Chiefs OTAs on May 29.
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Mahomes sees Kelce and being motivated by last season's failures and preparing to redeem himself.
'He's in here, he's working. I know his body feels good,' Mahomes said.
'I think he feels better than last year before going into last season. I think he's motivated to go out there and have an even better year than he had this last.'
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Kelce is coming off a relatively quiet offseason, after one filled with trips to girlfriend Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
The couple, which has engagement rumors swirling around them, stayed very much out of the public eye outside of a few date nights, including one recently in Florida.
It will remain to be seen if Kelce's seeming heightened focus will lead to results on the field.