The idea of Travis Kelce retiring from the NFL may be unthinkable to Kansas City Chiefs fans.
But the fact is, the guy is 34 years old; the position he plays is physically demanding, and — oh, you may have heard, he has a lot on his plate these days.
Yes, Travis is dating Taylor Swift, and their relationship is getting more attention than the tight end’s performance on the field.
Fans are slamming Taylor for being a distraction to the team, which is patently ridiculous.
But a statement Can It’s worth mentioning that Travis’ career is coming to an end.
Will Travis retire? Is he ready to embrace life after football?
There are many signs that indicate yes.
Travis Kelce’s performance on the court is… mixed
Now, for Swifties who don’t care much about football, you might want to skip this. For everyone else, there are a few things to consider regarding Travis’ performance last season.
It’s just, KC went to the Super Bowl and won, and yes, Travis gave it his all.
But there are still some mistakes. (Remember his on-field argument with his coach?)
Additionally, Kelce will not reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2023 for the first time in seven seasons.
His yards-per-catch average is also the lowest of his career, and he’s scoring less than half as many touchdowns as he did last season.
All of this won’t mean much when it comes to reinstating his contract, though (more on that later.)
But beyond his performance on the court, it feels like his attention is being pulled in so many different directions.
You can’t blame it all on Taylor!
Travis’ dreams of big things beyond the court are starting to come true
In March 2023, Travis hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time, delighting fans who had followed the football player’s career and delighted in his energy.
“The Saturday Night Live thing opened up new happiness and a new career path for me,” he explained in an interview some time later.
“I’m lucky enough to be able to do some of the things I love outside of the sports world, like being on camera.”
That was in January 2024 – a lot has happened since then!
First, he was named host of the new game show “Do You Think You’re Smarter than Celebrities?” He then landed a role in the all-star cast of Ryan Murphy’s new horror series Freaking .
Now, there are strong rumors that he will appear in the sequel to Happy Gilmore – and these rumors were started by star Adam Sandler himself!
So, all in all, Travis is already planning a career outside of football. Heck, even if he just keeps up with brother Jason Kelce’s podcast, that would be enough.
The boys are grabbing it! Speaking of money…
Travis Kelce’s new contract
In April, two months after winning the Super Bowl, the Chiefs gave their superstar tight end Travis Kelce a significant raise and a new two-year contract.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the deal is worth “$34.25 million, with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the remainder guaranteed on Day 3 of the league in 2025.”
That’s some serious cheddar – and a serious commitment to staying on the team!
“It’s hard to put into words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he’s definitely our top priority in adjusting this contract, which is important to Clark. [Hunt]. perfect for travis [is] Now the highest-paid tight end in two years,” general manager Brett Veach said in a statement at the time.
exist Videos posted to Travis added that it was “an honor and a joy and I can’t wait to earn it over the next two years… Chief forever.”
But as we all know, never means never. Just ask Tom Brady.
So, what are Travis’ plans for retirement? Let Travis speak for himself.
Is Travis Kelce retiring? His answer is…
Back in January, Travis spoke to the media during a press conference after a particularly tough game. Reporters were quick to ask if this was his last season in the NFL.
“I had no reason to stop playing football,” Kelce insisted, not knowing at the time that he was right. he added.
“I love it. We’re still going to be successful, as long as the mentality is right. I just love the challenge it gives me every day to be at my best.
A few months later, Travis doubled down when he appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show”
“I didn’t expect that at all,” he said when asked about rumors of imminent retirement.
“I thought the challenge of this year was exciting, to probably be able to do it for the third time in a row – I thought that was all I needed. It was a split second thought, so there was really no way I wasn’t going to come back this year.
Travis also revealed that he is following the advice of former NFL star Julian Edelman.
“He mentioned that, you know, when he couldn’t go out and practice, he had to hang it up, he couldn’t go out and practice his craft and make himself feel responsible for the people next to him,” the Super Bowl-winning star said. That’s when he began to question it, he said.
“I’m really happy, you know, I’m so grateful and so lucky that I was able to go into 12th grade and still have this energy and this love and the ability to go out and work.”
Now you have it! As long as his body can still play, he will play! This is what Hall of Famers do!