Is Travis Kelce retiring? What Chiefs star TE has said about future in NFL originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Speculation has intensified around the potential retirement of Kansas City Chiefs legend Travis Kelce following a disappointing 2025 season.
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After 13 years of re-writing the record books and elevating the tight end position, the future Hall of Famer has chosen to be intentionally vague about his next move, saying he wants to keep the focus on his team for the final games. The rumors are fueled by the Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade and quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffering a season-ending injury, leading many insiders and rival players to suggest Kelce has an «easy out» to step away.
If he retires, Kelce will depart as the most statistically dominant receiving tight end in NFL history, holding crucial records including: Most overall and consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards by a tight end (7), and the most postseason receptions (174) and receiving yards (2,039) by a tight end.
Whether the Chiefs’ early exit and the absence of Mahomes is enough to compel the 36-year-old to retire remains one of the biggest questions for Kansas City heading into the NFL offseason.
Here’s more on what Kelce and others have said about his rumored retirement.
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MORE: Latest Travis Kelce retirement rumors
Is Travis Kelce retiring?
Kelce has not officially announced his retirement, but speculation is running extremely high after the 2025 NFL season.
In his own words, Kelce has made it clear he will not make a decision until after the season concludes. He previously stated he wants to decide before free agency opens in March to allow the Chiefs time to plan for the next season. He told reporters: «I’d rather just keep the focus of the media and everything on this team right now… All the conversations I have with the team and everything moving forward will be with them.»
Kelce’s production saw a dip in 2025 compared to his historic standards. The 2025 season marked the Chiefs’ earliest playoff elimination since 2014, ending a long streak of Super Bowl contention, meaning the legend will have extra time to make his decision.
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When will Travis Kelce retire?
Kelce has stated that he plans to make a final decision on his potential retirement by early March 2026.
He has indicated that he wants to finalize his decision before the start of the NFL’s new league year, which includes the opening of free agency and the lead-up to the NFL Draft. This timeline is intended to give the Chiefs organization ample time to make their own personnel plans for the 2026 season, whether he returns or not.
Though, he has not said an exact date to when he will make his decision.
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How old is Travis Kelce?
Kelce was born on Oct. 5, 1989, making him 36 years old during the 2025 NFL season. His longevity at a physically demanding position is remarkable, as he has consistently performed at an elite level well into his mid-thirties.
He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round (63rd overall pick) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He was a key early addition by then-new Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, who was already familiar with Kelce’s family, having coached his brother, Jason Kelce, with the Eagles.
His entire professional career has been spent with the Chiefs, marking his 13th season in 2025. During his tenure, he has been a foundational piece of the franchise’s success, including winning three Super Bowls and helping to establish the current Chiefs era of dominance, particularly since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018.
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