KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Day after day in late February, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce kept saying the same thing, both to himself and those who wondered about his future — people such as coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, receiver Rashee Rice, his brother, Jason, the former Philadelphia Eagles center, and even TV host Pat McAfee.
«I can’t go out like that.»
Those six words were the main motivation for everything Kelce has done since early March, and everything leading up to next week when the Chiefs start their season in São Paulo against the Los Angeles Chargers in what could be the final season of Kelce’s illustrious NFL career.
Since he announced his return to the Chiefs in late February, all signs have pointed to the 2025 season being Kelce’s last. 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, 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.
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— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2025
When Kelce made up his mind to return for 2025, less than a week after the Super Bowl loss, the first person he told was Reid — the lone coach he has played for in his NFL career.
Two weeks later, at the combine, the news of Kelce’s decision was shared on «The Pat McAfee Show.» During the program, McAfee read a text he received from Kelce.
«I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try to get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,» Kelce wrote in the text. «Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and with how I got the guys ready for battle.
«I can’t go out like that!!!!»
Later that Thursday, the «New Heights» podcast, hosted by Kelce and his brother, Jason, posted a confirmation on X: «From the desk of @tkelce: ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13.»
One reason Kelce chose to not retire is because he believed he could make significant improvements to his fitness.
«I love football,» Kelce said. «It’s all I know, man. It’s still my childhood dream. I really didn’t feel like it was my last game.»
IN JUNE, a month before the Chiefs’ training camp, Kelce was back in a familiar environment. While chatting with reporters in front of a backdrop with the Chiefs’ logo on it, Kelce raised his hands and chuckled. He wanted to stop a rumor.
«First off, I never said that,» Kelce said while smiling, his attempt to squash an ESPN report, sourced from someone in his inner circle, that Kelce lost 25 pounds in the four months since the Super Bowl.
Then, with quick comedic timing, Kelce showed his right index finger for the cameras.
«Don’t believe all you read on the internet, guys, all right,» Kelce said during the news conference. «I never told anybody.»
Then, with his head bowed, Kelce acknowledged the truth: He in fact did lose some weight, an amount he felt was necessary for him to be at his best in his 13th NFL season although he declined to share the exact number.
Kelce’s first decision after the decision was to have his offseason routine follow a simpler approach.
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— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 1, 2025
Mahomes has noticed the work Kelce has put in this offseason.
«For him, recalibrating and seeing where he’s at, he’s excited for another chance to make a run at it,» Mahomes said. «He’s working and I know his body feels good. It feels better than even last year before going into last season.»
Kelce’s first test to see if his altered regimen worked was during the first week of the Chiefs’ camp last month.
Slimmer and energized, Kelce made impressive highlights that produced some of the loudest roars from fans who attended the practices. In a one-on-one matchup with safety Jaden Hicks, Kelce caught the ball and did his signature hesitation and wiggle moves to evade Hicks for additional yards. And a few minutes later, Kelce ran a slick seam route before leaping in the air to catch a pass between linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Bryan Cook. Kelce also flashed his restored burst and acceleration while sprinting along the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown, leading Reid to quip about the tight end’s physical transformation.
«He’s svelte right now. He looks like he’s 20,» Reid said, grinning. «He’s doing a good job and he’s in great shape. I’m not sure he didn’t come in first on the whole conditioning thing. He was right up front.»
Houston Texans in the divisional round, Mahomes threw a perfect deep pass in the second quarter to receiver Hollywood Brown. But Brown couldn’t make the catch. On the next snap, Mahomes trusted Kelce, who produced a memorable highlight.
The Texans blitzed and Mahomes found Kelce, who broke two tackles — which he hadn’t done at any point in the regular season, according to TruMedia — for a 49-yard gain. The Chiefs finished the drive with running back Kareem Hunt’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Early in the fourth quarter, on a critical third-and-goal-play, Kelce recognized the Texans’ zone coverage and improvised his route — deciding to run to a different area of the end zone in the middle of the play — but was still available and in rhythm with Mahomes for an 11-yard touchdown catch.
MAHOMES TD TO KELCE AS HE FALLS DOWN
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ytEUsoGyin— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
The next week, in the Chiefs’ 32-29 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, Kelce, who finished with just two catches for 19 yards on four targets, was most impactful when he didn’t have the ball in his hands. Early in the first quarter, receiver Nikko Remigio chose to fair catch a punt at the Chiefs’ 10-yard line, even though he had plenty of room for a return.
«That’s not being great, bro,» Kelce told Remigio after the play.
Inspired by Kelce’s words, Remigio had his biggest moment in the game in the second quarter. He ignited the Chiefs with an impressive start-and-stop-and-start-again punt return that went 41 yards.
«That’s how you be great, dawg!» Kelce shouted at Remigio after the play.
The Chiefs capitalized on Remigio’s return when Mahomes scored on a 1-yard touchdown. The Chiefs’ final touchdown was created on a designed run for Mahomes. On his 10-yard touchdown, Kelce was one of Mahomes’ lead blockers.
WHEELS STILL SPINNIN’‼️ pic.twitter.com/p9L7w06KQ3
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 27, 2025
But two weeks later, the Chiefs experienced misery, not history, in the blowout loss to the Eagles.
Days before facing the Eagles, Kelce began experiencing an illness, a detail Veach revealed at the combine. During the game, he struggled in each of his assignments for the Chiefs’ game plan. His route running was slower than usual, his blocking wasn’t up to standard and he couldn’t make the play or say the right words to his teammates to help spark the Chiefs to a comeback. The game also marked the first time in Kelce’s playoff career in which he was held without a reception in the first half.
«I failed, especially in that last game, in being a leader and being the one that can step up and make plays,» Kelce said. «I’m just setting the bar even higher for myself this year than I have in the past.»
@netflix 🍿 pic.twitter.com/UJpCtFUHV7
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 28, 2025
The next day, during the Chiefs’ most demanding practice of camp — a stuffy, 90-degree day in which the heat index peaked over 100 — rookie left tackle Josh Simmons punched rookie defensive end Ashton Gillotte after a rugged rep in a 9-on-7 period.
The first teammate to help separate the two rookies was Kelce.
«He does it in a way like, ‘I’ve been there, and you don’t want to do that,'» Reid said of Kelce. «The guys trust him. That’s kind of the neat part about the job. You get to see guys mature like that. It’s probably no different than having kids. The thing is, it’s out in front of everybody because of the [immature] things he’d do [as a younger player] on the field and lose his temper. People saw it. Now they see what he is today. There’s a difference.»
As the Chiefs’ longest-tenured player, Kelce has in essence become an additional assistant coach. But Kelce wants to be more productive himself. After all, he ranked last this past season in yards per catch over expectation (YACOE) among pass catchers who ran at least 100 routes (minus-42). Kelce ran 525 total routes.
Kelce says he wants his presence — even if as an overqualified decoy — and skills to help develop the next generation of pass catchers for a franchise that hasn’t seen a 1,000 receiving season outside of Kelce since 2021 (Tyreek Hill).
This offseason, Mahomes has further strengthened his connection with his receiving options not named Kelce — such as Rice, Brown, and fellow receivers Xavier Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster, as well as tight ends Noah Gray and Robert Tonyan and running back Isiah Pacheco.
We’re lucky to have you, Travis 🫶 pic.twitter.com/NneZnWwm0p
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 6, 2025
Throughout practices, several teammates on offense and defense have asked for Kelce’s guidance on certain techniques, coverages or the nuances of a specific play. Tonyan, a seven-year veteran who began his career with the Green Bay Packers alongside quarterback Aaron Rodgers, spent camp learning as much as he could from Kelce’s pre-snap reads against the defense’s potential coverages. Through two preseason games, Tonyan led the Chiefs with eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.
«What better way to get better than to make sure that we lean on each other,» Kelce said. «If I can give somebody a word that makes them better on that specific route or doing that specific drill, man, I’m here for it.»
THE CHIEFS’ PENULTIMATE training camp session was a difficult one. It was the team’s final on-field work in full pads before it returned to its training facility in Kansas City. Most players appeared ready to return. The first team period was terrible for the offense. The defense created pressure to disrupt the offense’s timing, several players dropped passes and Mahomes voiced his frustration.
Then …
«Travis beats his man one-on-one and breaks out for a 20-yard gain,» pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier said. «He kind of set the tone for everybody, that ‘Hey, you get man-to-man coverage, we’re winning these routes! Let’s go!’
«When everybody was pushing through the dog days of camp, it was him who made the play one-on-one. That kind of just goes to that bigger picture to where maybe you don’t recognize the years as much because it’s just the same old Travis. That’s what he’s always been doing.»
Derwin James Jr. to him in man-to-man coverage. In the teams’ matchup last December, Kelce was not targeted on 10 routes when James was the primary defender.
As the year progresses, other opponents could try the Chargers’ strategy against Kelce, or what the Eagles did in the Super Bowl — dedicating two zone defenders to him.
Kelce, though, is ready for whatever comes, and is eager to showcase his mental and physical counterattacks — through smoother route running, noticeable changes in his athleticism and plenty of inner inspiration to go out with exceptional performances — in what could be his last chance to do so.
«It’s going to be a grind,» he said. «Hopefully it ends in February.»
