When it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs’ struggles during the 2025 NFL season, veteran tight end Travis Kelce doesn’t have any answers.
At 6-7, the Chiefs have lost two straight games and are in jeopardy of missing out on postseason play for the first time since 2014. With seven drops to his name, Kelce has had a tough individual season as well.
"You put in all this f---ing work and hope that it pays off," Kelce said during recent episode of his New Heights podcast. "And right now, it's just for whatever f---ing reason, man, it's little things. I feel like I've always had the answers in years past. And this year, I just can't find them.
"I keep thinking if I show up to work and I put in the work and I fix the issues through my practice habits and through perfecting the game plan and my fundamentals and what I'm being taught, and go out there and try and play my ass off for my guys next to me, it's all going to come together like it has in years past. And this year it is just not, man."
Kelce had a crucial drop late in Kansas City’s most recent loss against the Houston Texans. The ball bounced off of Kelce and into the hands of Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, effectively ending the game and greatly damaging the Chiefs’ playoff hopes.
The Chiefs aren’t yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but they currently only have about a 12 percent chance of extending their season, per NFL.com. Their remaining schedule includes difficult matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos.
"If there's a game to be played, I'm going to f---ing make it the most important game in the world," Kelce said. "But obviously looking at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in, especially with how we've always found a way in years past.
"So, it's a s---ty f---ing feeling, especially dropping the f---ing ball late in the game like that when we were on our last f---ing chance to make something shake. It's a s---ty feeling, man. You put in all this work to be there for your guys."
If the Chiefs fail to make the postseason, then Kelce will be confronted with a difficult decision sooner than he would have liked. Kelce is on the last year of his current contract and there’s been speculation that he could call it a career. While discussing his future last month, the three-time Super Bowl champion was non-committal, but it made it clear that he plans to make a decision early in the offseason.
"I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not -- or whether they want me back or not," Kelce said. "I'd like to make that decision before they've got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately."
It remains to be seen how the Chiefs potentially missing the playoffs could impact Kelce's decision, but it's certainly something to keep in mind over the final four weeks of the regular season.