Nov 29, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs with the ball against Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane (41) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

How Travis Kelce Could Have Incredible Farewell Performance

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 7:00 AM ET

After an incredible season of dominance, Travis Kelce is largely viewed as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. He has the resume to back it up. In the Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Denver Broncos on Christmas, he became the only player at his position to record 12 seasons with 800 or more receiving yards.

There's been a lot of talk about Kelce retiring after this season. He reportedly considered it last year but decided to run it back one more time in hopes of avenging the Chiefs' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Unfortunately, the revenge tour was for naught, as he and the rest of his team were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Can Travis Kelce go out on top?

Retiring after a fourth championship and engaged to a pop megastar would have made for a fitting storybook ending for Travis Kelce. While he's still set to wed Taylor Swift, the Kansas City Chiefs weren't able to put him in a position to notch another Super Bowl. Now, his final NFL game could be a meaningless Week 18 affair against the 2-14 Las Vegas Raiders.

In a way, that's more representative of Kelce's career than anything. The accolades he's accumulated over the years have made fans assume that he was a blue-chip prospect coming out of college, but he was a third-round pick out of Cincinnati, passed up by his hometown Cleveland Browns multiple times.

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce taking the field in Kansas City for what could be the final time: pic.twitter.com/HyBforeTL3
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 26, 2025

He got off to a pretty fast start in the league once he hit the field, but Kelce's always been a bit of an underdog. He's been regressing pretty harshly over the past few years, which has led to the Chiefs' offense declining overall, even with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the helm. Kelce won't have Mahomes throwing him passes in Week 18.

Instead, it'll be third-stringer Chris Oladokun. After a season of disappointment, expectations for Kelce are in the basement for what could be his final game in the NFL.

FanDuel has the Chiefs comfortably favored over the Raiders, who just thoroughly out-tanked the New York Giants to take control of the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft last week. But Kelce will want more than just an unimpactful, uninspiring victory over a division rival as a send-off. He'll at least want to find the end zone one last time. FanDuel has him at +250 to score a touchdown.

Betting odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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