There was speculation in Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce was going to retire and ride off into the sunset with his beloved Taylor Swift. After the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59, it was to some all but a foregone conclusion.
However, the 35-year old Kelce put retirement ideas to rest and confirmed to head coach Andy Reid he would be returning to try and make his 11th Pro Bowl.
He actually told Reid in February, a week after the loss, that he would be back to give it another run.
"I just wanted him to put it out there and not me," Reid said at the NFL meetings, per The Athletic's Nate Taylor. "I always like guys to step back (after the season), but he wants to come back and he's training like crazy, too."
Kelce did not have such a prosperous 2024. Aside from coming up on the short end in the Super Bowl, he only had three touchdowns in the regular season and had the lowest yards per target average with 6.2.
Kelce also had a poor showing in the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills and in the Super Bowl which made fans think his playing days would be over.
There comes to a point in time when everyone has to contemplate retirement. However, this is not the season for Kelce to hang up his cleats. Reid said he might cut back on Kelce's workload as he was in on 1,093 snaps including the postseason.
"I'll see when he comes back and see where he's at," Reid said. "He's learning when to come out when he needs it. We were banged up at the (receiver) positions, so that doesn't help a tight end's cause at all. The healthier we can be around him, he can still be productive."
No doubt ... for one more year.
