Paul Finebaum Predicts Travis Kelce’s NFL Future

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Feb 13, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Travis Kelce is regarded as one of the top tight ends in NFL history. Throughout his career, he has amassed 12,151 receiving yards and scored 77 touchdowns.

He currently ranks third all-time among tight ends in yards and fifth in touchdowns. Kelce had an impressive streak of seven consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards, but that ended after the 2023 season. This season was his least productive season as a professional, apart from his rookie year playing just one game, as he finished with 823 yards and three touchdowns.

At 35 years old, Kelce began this season's playoffs with a strong performance, recording 117 yards and one touchdown on seven receptions. However, in the following two games, he managed only six catches for 58 yards and did not score any touchdowns.

There has been speculation about whether Kelce will retire following the Kansas City Chiefs' 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Sunday. One person expressing this possibility is ESPN's Paul Finebaum. On his radio show, "The Paul Finebaum Show," Finebaum shared his thoughts on Kelce's potential retirement.

"They need to draft about five," Finebaum said. "I think that is a possibility. They probably also need a tight end. I don't think Kelce is coming back.

Kelce hasn't shot down the rumors, saying, "I know everybody wants to know whether or not I'm playing next year," Kelce said. "Right now, I'm just kicking everything down the road."

If this marks the end of Kelce's NFL career, he will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the league's history and will likely earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For now, fans will have to wait and see what the three-time Super Bowl champion decides to do next.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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