Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is nearing the end of his illustrious career.
Now in his 13th NFL season, Kelce has been highly successful in the league with 10 Pro Bowls, four first-team All-Pro appearances and three Super Bowl titles. The veteran and future Hall of Famer will go down as one of the best tight ends of all time, with a peak that few can rival.
For now, though, Kelce and the Chiefs are chasing a fourth Super Bowl title in the last decade but have to navigate a slow start to the season. Kelce, in particular, has been noticeably less effective compared with previous years, raising the question of when he will call it a career.
While Kelce has stayed away from those discussions, retirement rumors will persist until he makes the decision. Here’s a breakdown of when Kelce may retire.
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Is Travis Kelce retiring?
Travis Kelce has not revealed when he will retire, so it is still a mystery as to when it will happen. Had the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year, it is possible that Kelce would've retired then, but Taylor reported that Kelce was motivated to redeem Kansas City's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, Kelce did tell the media it was an easy choice to return this year.
"I love football. I don't think I really thought about it that much," Kelce said in May, via NFL.com. "I love coming in to work every single day. It wasn't a very tough one for me. I know I'm getting older, but at the same time I still feel like I've got a lot I can prove in this league. With that being said, it really wasn't that hard of a decision for me."
Kelce is currently on the final year of his contract and is set to hit free agency after the season. If he does choose to return for next season, he will have to negotiate a new contact with the Chiefs or another team.
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When will Travis Kelce retire?
Before the season, ESPN's Nate Taylor reported that many people within the Chiefs organization expect Kelce to retire at the end of the year.
"Since he announced his return to the Chiefs in late February, all signs have pointed to the 2025 season being Kelce's last," Taylor wrote. "Since June, Kelce, who is in the final year of his contract, has spoken about his future with the team through only this season. Several members of the Chiefs' organization, including in the front office and business department, are coy to use the word 'retirement,' but they have already expressed their appreciation for Kelce's importance to the franchise and have said they hope to experience plenty of joy while cherishing his performances."
Travis Kelce career stats
| Year | Age | Games | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Yards per Reception | Touchdowns |
| 2013 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 25 | 16 | 67 | 862 | 12.9 | 5 |
| 2015 | 26 | 16 | 72 | 875 | 12.2 | 5 |
| 2016 | 27 | 16 | 85 | 1,125 | 13.2 | 4 |
| 2017 | 28 | 15 | 83 | 1,038 | 12.5 | 8 |
| 2018 | 29 | 16 | 103 | 1,336 | 13.0 | 10 |
| 2019 | 30 | 16 | 97 | 1,229 | 12.7 | 5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 15 | 105 | 1,416 | 13.5 | 11 |
| 2021 | 32 | 16 | 92 | 1,125 | 12.2 | 9 |
| 2022 | 33 | 17 | 110 | 1,338 | 12.2 | 12 |
| 2023 | 34 | 15 | 93 | 984 | 10.6 | 5 |
| 2024 | 35 | 16 | 97 | 823 | 8.5 | 3 |
| 2025 | 36 | 2 | 6 | 108 | 18.0 | 1 |
Kelce's numbers have steadily declined over the past few years, as he hasn't reached 1,000 receiving yards since 2022. Last season, Kelce produced just 823 receiving yards with 8.5 yards per reception, which is a career low for him in seasons he played more than one game.
Kelce had a stretch of seven-straight seasons where he produced at least 1,000 receiving yards, but that level of production appears to be in the past. Now, the veteran succeeds more with experience and chemistry more than explosiveness.