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Following a disappointing loss at Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has been plagued by retirement rumors. With little time left on his contract, throwing in the towel early sounds just about right. After all, walking away now would mean spending more time with his superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, and doing the things he loves aside from football, say podcasting.
On Feb. 27, the rumors were seemingly put to rest by Kelce’s podcast, New Heights, which he co-hosts with his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce. The official Instagram account of the podcast wrote: “From the desk of @killatrav: IT’S TIME FOR YEAR 13.”
The post was accompanied by a video from ESPN featuring a humorous edit of a cut-out Travis declaring, “I’m not (expletive) leaving. The show goes on.” The caption also teased a “full breakdown on next week’s episode,” hinting at full details regarding his decision soon.
But even before the new podcast episode could drop, Pat McAfee, who hosts an eponymous show on ESPN, may have already confirmed that Kelce is coming back for another NFL season. “I reached out to source(s) on the future of [Travis Kelce] … source(s) said ‘I’m coming back for sure,’” McAfee wrote on X. His next statement made it clear that his source was Travis himself as this supposedly anonymous tipper promised to be in the best shape of “my life” in the offseason as they lamented how they can’t let the loss in the last game mark their farewell.
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
Retirement rumors gained traction after the Chiefs’ 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which Kelce was largely neutralized. During the lead-up to the game, he consistently stated his intention to continue playing. However, following the defeat, his comments suggested he was contemplating his future.
“I know everybody wants to know whether I’m playing next year, and right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road — I’m not making any crazy decisions,” Kelce said in the aftermath of the game on his podcast.
He elaborated on his thought process, stating, “I think I owe it to my teammates that, if I do come back, it’s going to be something that’s a whole-hearted decision. Not half-assing it. I’m fully here for them, and I think I could play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or if it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, and as a person to take on all of that responsibility.”
Aside from McAfee, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach also said Kelce’s return was likely. “How we left it at the end of the season is that he was fired up. He has one more year under contract and I still think he has that fire and desire to play,” Veach was quoted as saying by USA Today.
With one year remaining on his contract, Kelce is due an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 15, just days after NFL free agency begins. His return provides much-needed stability for the Chiefs as they look to bounce back after falling short of a supposedly historic three-peat.