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Kansas Metropolis Chiefs star Travis Kelce has already secured his legacy as one of many biggest tight ends of all time, however that doesn’t imply he’s able to stroll away from his NFL profession.
“I do know I’m 34 years previous, about to be 35, however I’ve a love to do that proper right here in the course of the warmth in June,” Kelce mentioned forward of the Chiefs’ minicamp session in June 2024. “I like coming to work each single day and doing this.”
In keeping with a research by RBC Wealth Administration, the common retirement age for an NFL participant is 27.6 years previous, however Kelce added that he plans to maintain enjoying soccer “till the wheels fall off.”
Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, who is 2 years his senior, set an instance of a sleek exit when he retired from the Philadelphia Eagles on the finish of the 2023 season. Throughout a June 2024 episode of their “New Heights” podcast, Jason gave his brother some retirement knowledge.
Jason Kelce has been a fixture of the Philadelphia Eagles offense for greater than a decade, however he was lifelike in regards to the thought of retirement previous to formally stepping down in March 2024. Kelce was drafted in 2011, turning into the primary rookie in Eagles historical past to start out all 16 common season video games at middle. He […]
“That is if you’re going to start out figuring out, every time this time comes, and it’s good to stroll away,” Jason mentioned. “[It’s] the combating your physique, like, you used to have the ability to do one thing you may’t do anymore. That’s when it’s such as you’re combating that, to proceed to get that again. That’s when it begins to change into arduous. Backside line is everybody is aware of when it’s time for them.”
Not like Jason, Travis doesn’t have youngsters to issue into his retirement timeline — Jason shares daughters Wyatt, Ellie, Bennett and Finn with spouse Kylie Kelce — however he’s in a dedicated relationship with Taylor Swift. Travis and Swift introduced their engagement in August 2025, and the couple’s romance goes as robust as their respective careers.
“I like it when Taylor comes and helps me and enjoys the sport with the fam and mates,” Travis mentioned throughout a January 2024 look on The Pat McAfee Present.
Maintain scrolling to see the whole lot Kelce has mentioned about his NFL retirement plans, or lack thereof:
April 2023
Travis mentioned he “hadn’t put a lot thought into” retiring throughout an interview with Bleacher Report.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are all anybody can speak about since they acquired collectively in 2023. Their 2025 engagement, which got here weeks earlier than Swift launched her album The Lifetime of a Showgirl (that includes loads of references to Kelce), has made them a fair greater matter of dialog. Swift and Kelce had been first linked in […]
“I completely love what I’m doing, I like doing it right here in Kansas Metropolis,” he mentioned. “I don’t even wish to take into consideration placing a time restrict on this. My physique nonetheless feels good, I nonetheless really feel like I may also help the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs win. On high of that, each single day is a blast coming into the constructing.”
June 2023
On the Chiefs minicamp, Travis reiterated his need to maintain enjoying soccer.
“I like this sport,” he continued. “I do know I’m going to overlook it after I’m executed enjoying. … I get to play a sport for a residing on the age of 33, 34 and I feel that’s one thing – you recognize, I don’t wish to lose that. I don’t wish to lose that pleasure that I had for a sport after I was a child.”
November 2023
The athlete admitted that accidents prompted him to consider retirement “greater than anybody may ever think about” throughout an interview with The Wall Road Journal.
“That’s the one factor I’ve by no means actually been open about,” he mentioned. “The discomfort. The ache. The lingering accidents — the ten surgical procedures I’ve had that I nonetheless really feel each single surgical procedure to this present day.”
January 2024
“I’ve no cause to cease enjoying soccer,” Travis advised reporters at a press convention. He famous that alternatives like his March 2023 Saturday Evening Reside internet hosting gig had given him a glimpse of his future prospects, however he nonetheless wasn’t able to stroll away from his old flame.
“I’ve been lucky to do a couple of issues outdoors of the sports activities world that I’ve been having fun with doing, like getting on digital camera,” he defined. “The SNL stuff sort of opened up a brand new happiness and a brand new profession path for me, but it surely’s humorous for me to even say that at this level in my profession as a result of I feel it’s a lot additional down the street than it’s proper now.”
June 2024
Throughout a press convention, Travis mentioned that he wasn’t planning on retiring “anytime quickly” and mentioned he “actually can’t put a timeframe” on his NFL exit.
“I’m going to do it till the wheels fall off,” he mentioned. “I can positively perceive that it’s towards the tip of the street [more] than the start of it. I simply gotta be sure that I’m arrange for after soccer as nicely.”
Travis added that he nonetheless will get numerous pleasure from his NFL profession.
“I like coming to work each single day,” he mentioned. “Clearly, I do know there’s alternatives outdoors of soccer for me. I feel you’ve gotta maintain in perspective that I’m just a little child after I come on this constructing.”
January 2025
Throughout an look on the Stephen A. Smith Present, Travis denied that he’s able to retire at Swift’s insistence.
“She’s totally encouraging me to get pleasure from enjoying this sport,” Travis mentioned. “She loves coming to Arrowhead [Stadium] and coming to the video games and cheering for me, so I acquired all of the assist on this planet to maintain chasing these goals.”
February 2025
Throughout Tremendous Bowl LIX Opening Evening on February 3, Travis was requested the place he expects to be in 3 years.
“Hopefully nonetheless enjoying soccer,” he advised reporters. “I like doing this. I like coming into work daily. I really feel like I nonetheless acquired numerous good soccer left in me.”
Travis added, “We’ll see what occurs. I do know I’ve been setting myself up for different alternatives in my life. That’s at all times been the objective, figuring out that soccer solely lasts for thus lengthy.”
Following the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LIX, a somber Travis mentioned, “We haven’t performed that unhealthy all season.”
He didn’t handle his enjoying future throughout his temporary feedback to reporters.
When Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was requested if he thought Travis would return for an additional season, he mentioned, “I’ll let Travis make that call on his personal. He’s given a lot to this crew and to the NFL, and been such a pleasure not just for me to work with however [for] individuals to observe.”
October 2025
Travis mentioned his potential retirement throughout an interview on ESPN’S Monday Evening Countdown along with his brother, Jason.
“Man, I’ll be lucky to maintain having enjoyable with these guys 12 months in 12 months out, man,” Travis mentioned, including, “I take it day-to-day, 12 months by 12 months. I simply love coming into work with these guys.”
November 2025
Travis shared a brand new replace on the place his head was at on the subject of his potential retirement plans, telling reporters in November that he would give the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs loads of discover when the time got here.
“You already know, seeing my brother undergo it and seeing…simply how the league works, the season sort of restarts in April, and I wish to give the Chiefs alternative to know whether or not I come again or not,” he mentioned. “And vice versa. Like, whether or not they need me again or not, it’s a kind of issues the place I’d prefer to make that call earlier than they’ve acquired to get draft picks and free company opens up.”
He added, “I’d prefer to make that call earlier than they’ve acquired to get draft picks and free company opens to fill the roster appropriately… All that can be on the finish of the season. I gained’t be desirous about it till then.
December 2025
After the Chiefs had been knocked out of playoff rivalry for the 2025-2026 season — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL — questions of whether or not Travis would stroll away from the game forward of subsequent season swirled.
His brother, Jason, nonetheless, hinted that Travis hadn’t made his determination and there was nonetheless loads of season left to play earlier than deciding.
“I’m curious, too,” Jason advised ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt throughout ESPN’s Monday Evening Countdown broadcast on December 15. “For my part, to nail that call, it’s a must to step away from the sport for just a little bit. Play these final three video games, get pleasure from them together with your teammates, get pleasure from them together with your coaches. The crew’s going to be totally different irrespective of whether or not you come again or not subsequent 12 months.”
He prompted his brother to “get pleasure from these final three video games after which let it sink in. It’ll come to you with time.” Jason, who’s a retired NFL middle, defined, “There are such a lot of feelings with this sport proper after a season, particularly with the best way this one’s been.”
Jason famous that the Chiefs’ 6-8 report makes the retirement dialog much more sophisticated. “They’ve been shut, and proper now it’s simply too recent,” he mentioned. “You gotta step away from it, you gotta give it some thought, after which, yeah, it is going to come to you.”
David Calvert/Getty Photos Jason Kelce is aware of his means round an NFL retirement dialog — and his brother, Travis Kelce, might need his thoughts made up already. Throughout a current chat with Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson on “The Steam Room,” Jason, 37, mirrored on getting his brother’s steering earlier than making his personal determination about leaving […]
Two days later, Travis commented on his rocky season, revealing that enjoying the sport it doesn’t matter what the result was an “honor” for him.
“We acquired three video games left … the integrity of who you’re as an expert, as a participant, you gotta love this s***, man. And Chiefs Kingdom, we’re gonna provide you with the whole lot we acquired. There’s no query about that,” Travis mentioned on the December 17 episode of the brothers’ “New Heights” podcast. “There’s just one means I do issues, there’s just one means Coach Reid does issues, and if we’re gonna go on the market and play some soccer, we’re gonna do it the fitting means and maintain making an attempt to get these items fastened and finish on the very best observe we are able to.”
Throughout a December 19 press convention, Travis hinted that his profession may in truth be coming to an finish. After a reporter requested if he thought he had already “performed with Patrick [Mahomes] for the final time,” he let loose amusing, calling {that a} “loopy” thought.
“I feel I’d moderately simply maintain the main focus of the media and the whole lot on this crew proper now,” Travis responded. “All of the conversations that I’ve with the crew and the whole lot transferring ahead can be with them.”
He famous it’s a “distinctive time” in his life, including, “Sadly, I acquired three video games left and I do know when the season ends this 12 months.”
Travis, who has made it to the playoffs the vast majority of his profession, defined, “Usually, we go into and we don’t know when it’s going to finish. That’s the great thing about it. Simply making an attempt to verify everyone right here is aware of I’m centered on making an attempt to win soccer video games these final three video games.”
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