Chiefs' Travis Kelce acknowledges 'tough reality' about what could be final games of playing career

The Kansas City Chiefs have lost four of their last five games to drop to 6-7 and fall out of the AFC playoff spots with only four contests left on their schedule. 

Tight end Travis Kelce suggested on the latest edition of his "New Heights" podcast that he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce, that nobody inside the Kansas City locker room is giving up. Travis Kelce also seems to understand that the final game of his Hall of Fame career may not occur during a postseason tournament. 

Travis Kelce feeling the pressure amid Chiefs' dwindling chances to make the playoffs?

"If there's a game to be played, I'm going to [expletive] make it the most important game in the world," Travis Kelce said, per Nate Taylor of ESPN. "But obviously, looking at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in, especially with how we've always found a way in years past. So, it's a s— [expletive] feeling, especially dropping the [expletive] ball late in the game like that when we were on our last [expletive] chance to make something shake. It's a s— feeling, man. You put in all this work to be there for your guys."

Kelce was referencing how he was responsible for two brutal drops in the Chiefs' 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans on Dec. 7. The second of those drops resulted in a Houston interception late in the fourth quarter and allowed the visitors to ice the game away. 

The Chiefs will head into this weekend trailing the 6-7 Baltimore Ravens, 8-5 Indianapolis Colts and 8-5 Texans in the battle for the AFC's final wild-card playoff spot. As of Thursday morning, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Chiefs an 11.9 percent chance to qualify for the postseason. 

Travis Kelce sounds lost amid constant retirement whispers

Kelce remains in the final year of his contract as he and entertainment superstar Taylor Swift plan for their June 2026 wedding. During the podcast, he hinted that he realizes he can't flip a figurative switch and turn the clock back to when the 36-year-old was in his physical prime. 

"I feel like I've always had the answers in years past," Kelce explained. "And this year, I just can't find them. I keep thinking if I show up to work and I put in the work and I fix the issues through my practice habits and through perfecting the game plan and my fundamentals and what I'm being taught, and go out there and try and play my a— off for my guys next to me, it's all going to come together like it has in years past. And this year it is just not, man."

The Chiefs next host the 9-4 Los Angeles Chargers this coming Sunday. On Thursday, DraftKings Sportsbook had Kansas City as a 5.5-point favorite for that game.