Travis Kelce has provided Kansas City Chiefs fans with a major reason for optimism at the end of a miserable 6-11 season that included missing the playoffs and a Patrick Mahomes torn ACL.
There's reason to believe the legendary tight end will be back for another season amid retirement rumors.
Kelce used his own platform, the New Heights podcast he hosts with his brother Jason, to provide this new update this week.
“If my body can heal up, rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat," Travis said on the show.
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He also spoke in general about his appreciation of football.
"There's a lot of love for the game that's still there," Travis said. "I don't think I'll ever lose that."
He acknowledged the challenge of it all, too.
"It's a tough thing to navigate," he said.
This is how Kelce concluded his thoughts:
"Right now, it's just about finding that answer and seeing how the body feels after this game and kind of when it all settles down."
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The Chiefs' season ended Sunday with a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Kansas City finished 6-11. Kelce had three catches for 12 yards in the finale.
At 36 years old and with a wedding coming up in June, Kelce was viewed as a retirement candidate. But he also had made it clear coming back for 2025 that he didn't like the taste left in his mouth by a bad Super Bowl loss.
There's no way that the competitor in Kelce wants to end his career with a 6-11 season, either.
It sounds like the decision will take some time and some reflection and some physical healing for Kelce, but there is hope of a return.
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