Is Travis Kelce returning? What to know about Chiefs star amid NFL retirement rumors

The Chiefs’ uncharacteristic Super Bowl loss was followed up by similarly uncharacteristic uncertainty surrounding one of their core pieces, as Travis Kelce entered the offseason debating retirement. 

The 35-year-old still appeared to have plenty of football left in the tank in 2024, even in what amounted to a down year for someone who ranks among the greatest ever at his position, but fans didn’t have to look far to understand why retirement might have intrigued Kelce.

With three Super Bowl rings on his fingers, his health largely intact and a potential future in the media or even in movies on tap, few could have blamed Kelce for just walking away and starting the next phase of his life.

Not so fast.

Here are the details on Kelce’s plans for the 2025 season. 

MORE: Tracking franchise tag decisions, from Tee Higgins to Trey Smith

Is Travis Kelce returning for 2025?

Kelce is set to return for a 13th NFL season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed Thursday. 

Buzz had been building regarding Kelce’s return since earlier in the week, when Chiefs GM Brett Veach said he was expecting the veteran tight end back in 2025. Pat McAfee shared texts supposedly from Kelce on Thursday, with the former All-Pro revealing he is “coming back for sure.”

I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce..

Source(s) said I’M COMING BACK FOR SURE..

I’m gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..

I’ve got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can’t go out like that!!!! #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 27, 2025

“Gonna try to get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,” Kelce said. “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!”

Kelce indicated in January that he was likely to return in 2025, but reports leading up to the Super Bowl painted a much more uncertain picture. Kelce himself confirmed days after the Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Eagles that he was going to take some time to make a decision, but it took less than three weeks for him to arrive at the conclusion that Super Bowl 59 would not be his final game. 

Why isn’t Travis Kelce retiring?

Pushing off retirement in hopes of riding off into the sunset with a championship is always a risk — just ask Tom Brady — but Kelce said before the playoffs that he would continue playing as long as he was playing “good football” and enjoying himself.

Kelce certainly seems like he’s still enjoying the game, and he’s still productive enough to keep going. While his 823 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 were the lowest full-season marks of his career, Kelce still stayed healthy and ranked fifth among all tight ends in receiving yards.

A return to the field could also give Kelce a legitimate chance to break two significant playoff records. He ranks second behind Jerry Rice in both playoff receiving yards and playoff touchdown receptions, and both marks will be within reach if the Chiefs can engineer another deep playoff run.

2025 will be the final year of Kelce’s contract, so retirement after the season would allow him to cleanly split with the Chiefs.

MORE:

Travis Kelce stats