Travis Kelce explains why he may return to Chiefs for 2026 season

A recent report suggested that Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce could soon retire from playing and accept a high-paying job covering the NFL for one of the league's media partners. 

On the latest edition of the "New Heights" podcast, Kelce hinted that he may not be ready to ride off into the sunset of retirement just yet.

Does Travis Kelce think he can still physically play in the NFL?

"There’s a lot of love for the game that’s still there and I don’t think I’ll ever lose that," Kelce explained, per Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post. "I don’t know. It’s a tough thing to navigate, but at the same time, I think if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel content that I can go out there and give it another run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat. So I think right now it’s just finding that answer…when it all settles down." 

While many assumed last winter that Kelce would essentially use the 2025 season as an unofficial retirement tour, he hinted during the Chiefs' mandatory minicamp in June that he could play through at least the 2026 campaign. ESPN stats show that Kelce led Kansas City this season with 76 receptions, 108 targets and 851 receiving yards. The 36-year-old shared the team lead with five touchdown catches.

"I’ve talked to a few people in the facility already, you know, having the exit meetings, and they know where I stand at least right now," Kelce said. 

What is Travis Kelce's mindset early into the offseason?

Kelce is on track to reach free agency when the new league year opens in March. Additionally, he and entertainment superstar Taylor Swift are planning their wedding that reportedly will take place in June 2026, when the Chiefs should be on their summer break. 

"I put my feet up, and I just be a human because I’ve been putting my body through the wringer for the love of it," Kelce said about how he's spending the early days of the offseason. "I do enjoy playing football and the physical aspect of it. There is something about feeling the wear and tear of the football season…Just being a regular human for a couple weeks, maybe a month or so, and try and figure out what I’m going to do next in terms of my future in football."

Kelce's future isn't the only massive question mark hovering over a Chiefs side that finished the season at 6-11, as Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is rehabbing after he underwent surgery on Dec. 15 to repair his torn ACL and torn LCL. It's unknown if Mahomes will be cleared to start the club's regular-season opener in September. 

"We finished the season with a lot of our guys banged up," Kelce added. "…It’s a tough way to go out, especially with the amount of success and the standard you hold yourself and your team to. You try to look back and learn from it and try to figure out where it went wrong or how you could’ve been better. It’s just a s----y feeling and a s----y way to try and navigate one of the things you love the most to do, playing football."