When it comes to Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, most of the talk recently has been about declining production and potential retirement.
But while Kelce’s future in Kansas City might be uncertain, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been impressed by what he’s seen from Kelce this season, even at the age of 36.
"I thought he's had a heck of a year," Reid said of Kelce. "I thought he played well, great leadership, obviously, and I thought it was a step up even from what he [showed] last year. He made that a point this offseason and really focused in, coming in great shape. It's helped him throughout the year. He's been able to maintain that."
This season has been a bit unprecedented for the Chiefs, as they’re officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014; Kelce’s second season in the league. Without the season extension provided by postseason play, Kelce will have to make a decision regarding his future sooner than he would have liked.
However, the three-time champion made it clear that he plans to play, and give it his all, over Kansas City’s final three games of the season before focusing on his own future.
"I think I'd rather just keep the focus on this team, right now," Kelce said. "All the conversations that I have with the team moving forward will be with them. It's a unique time in my life. I've got three games left. Unfortunately, I've got three games left and I know when the season ends. Just trying to make sure everybody here knows that I'm focused on trying to win games [in] these last three games."
There has been some speculation about Reid’s own future in Kansas City, but a recent report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport suggests that the legendary coach has no plans of stepping away at this point in time.
Kelce’s future can’t be discussed with that same certainty. While it certainly sounds like Reid would like to have Kelce back in the fold next season, that decision will ultimately fall to Kelce himself. We'll get more clarity regarding his future when Kansas City's season officially comes to an end in a few weeks.