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Travis Kelce hints at retirement at Chiefs vs Broncos after flop season; ‘let down Andy Reid’
Travis Kelce might be bidding farewell to Kansas City after 13 eventful seasons. The 36-year-old took the field against the Denver Broncos on Christmas.
Travis Kelce might be bidding farewell to Kansas City after 13 eventful seasons. The 36-year-old tight end took the field against the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day amid rumors about his retirement. If he chooses to hang up his cleats, this could be Kelce's final game at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium. Andy Reid and co have been eliminated from the playoff race.
Before the game, Chiefs fans picked up on several hints pointing towards one direction - retirement. First, a video of Kelce walking out of the tunnel, applauding the crowd, and spreading his arms surfaced on social media. And then there was a clip of him during the national anthem.
However, it was Kelce's bittersweet interview with franchise legend Tony Gonzalez that suggested that he might be going away. The 36-year-old was asked whether the Broncos game would be his last at Arrowhead. The TE said he is still ‘searching for answers’, further adding that it was a ‘two-way street’ between him and the Chiefs.
Kelce also said he is going to take some advice from his brother, Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce, who retired in 2024. The 36-year-old said that this season, he has disappointed coach Reid.
Talking about his relationship with Patrick Mahomes, Kelce said: "He's family now. I think through all the hard work and all the family time that we've had outside the facility and outside the building, there'll definitely never be a goodbye to him. It'll just be like another day in the life with Patty Mahomes.
"What he's done to my career up to this point, you can't measure it. It's all the little things that you see manifest out there onto the field that we're working on every single week, every single offseason. When he came into the league, he took this thing by storm. And it's been a fun ride ever since he's been at the helm."
The Kansas City QB is out for the season with an ACL injury.
Kelce addresses retirement talks
Only last week, Kelce was asked whether he had caught his last pass from Mahomes.
"That was a harsh reality when I got asked that," Kelce told Gonzalez. "I was like, 'Oh man, that's a dark way to look at it.' I think, I don't know, I'll always be able to go out there in the backyard slinging around with the old Texas gunslinger. But you know that day is going to come. If it's already happened, I can feel pretty content with how many times he's connected on the field with me and how much success and how much fun we've had playing this game."
The duo has combined for over 70 touchdowns.
“I know when it's over, it's over. I feel like I still have a lot of love for this game, I feel like if I came back it'd just be to answer that flame in my heart that I still love this thing.”
