I don’t want to think about watching a Chiefs game without Travis Kelce on the field. Reality indicates that 2025 will be his final NFL season. It will be tough for Kansas City fans to accept, but it’s probably Super Bowl or bust; the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame Tight End will be playing his last NFL season.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the most consistent football teams in the NFL since 2018. They’ve accumulated wins, consecutive division titles, appeared in five Super Bowls, and won three of them. One of the main reasons for their success is none other than tight end Travis Kelce.
During that time, he’s gone from superstar to Chiefs legend. How many big plays has he made since his partner in rhyme, Patrick Mahomes, was inserted into the starting lineup? Too many to count.
Their postseason success has been impressive, and Kelce nearly owns every postseason record for a receiver. Yet, if you ask him about all of that, he dismisses it like a portable camera.
All that matters is Super Bowl rings, and last season, he saw one slip off his finger. The Chiefs played their worst game of the year, were thumped by the Eagles, and are now refocused on orchestrating another successful Super Bowl run.
For Kelce, it was an easy decision to return. He didn’t hesitate to talk to the Chiefs and his inner circle, including his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, before deciding he wasn’t ready to hang up his cleats. So, he’s back for another run.
That’s a big deal!
The Chiefs’ 2025 offense could be the best during the Mahomes and Kelce era. With speed at wide receiver, speed at running back, an improved offensive line, and a Super Bowl chip on their shoulders, this offense knows it can be great this season.
Though Kelce won’t be the primary target as he has been in the past, he remains just as valuable to the offense without putting up big numbers. He acts as a tone setter for the rest of the offense, and his ability to improvise with Mahomes has only improved.
The fact that he attacks the offseason workouts with the same energy he had when he was much younger shows he’s focused and committed, no matter the paparazzi following his every move.
Luckily, he has his girlfriend’s support, who has become part of the Chiefs Kingdom. That’s a much bigger deal than people realize. It provides Kelce with a level of support that makes staying with the Chiefs much easier.
As for what’s ahead for Kelce, I think he could improve his numbers from last year, but Mahomes also has more options this season. Still, Kelce is going to make the plays that need to be made on third down or in the Red Zone.
He is too motivated and driven to fail. He’s also likely to appreciate every snap in each game this season, if indeed this is the end.
Now, I would never rule out that he might return in 2026, but first, show the world last year’s Super Bowl loss was just a fluke. If that happens, the first-ballot NFL Hall of Fame Tight End could walk off into the sunset.
He’d be loved by a Chiefs Kingdom that has watched him grow from a boy from Cincinnati to a Greek God in Kansas City.
I’m not sure how this all turns out for Travis Kelce, but I can honestly say I don’t know a more humble, motivated, and team-first player in a Chiefs uniform over the last decade-plus. He gives his all on the field and would do anything off the field to support a struggling teammate.
I hope that when he hangs up his cleats, he stays connected to the Kansas City community. Additionally, I hope he and Taylor continue their long journey together as a couple.
Until he decides to retire, I plan to enjoy every game he plays in a Chiefs uniform this season.
