Travis Kelce is well aware he’s getting older, and his football career has a shorter shelf life. His popularity boosted even more last season due to extracurricular events involving him, notably his highly-publicized relationship with country/pop sensation Taylor Swift.
But for fans or defenders wondering if he’s hanging up the cleats anytime soon due to his off-the-field endeavors, the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning tight end declared on Tuesday that he’s far from finished.
Travis Kelce Has No Timeframe for Retirement
As Kelce nears his 35th birthday, the All-Pro tight end shared how he still comes to the Chiefs facility with zeal, fueling his renewed desire to keep going and hold off on retirement.
“I really can’t put a timeframe on it,” Kelce said to reporters following minicamp practice. “I love coming to work every single day. Obviously, I know there’s opportunities outside of football for me. I think you’ve gotta keep in perspective that I’m a little kid when I come in this building.”
Kelce’s plans for 2024 and ahead with the back-to-back champs?
Travis Kelce, in his 2nd decade of football, says on how long he’ll play: “Till the wheels fall off.” #Chiefs https://t.co/dczKZSO22B pic.twitter.com/7l90JbBLkU
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) June 13, 2023
“I’m gonna do it until the wheels fall off,” he said. “Hopefully, that doesn’t happen anytime soon. I can definitely understand that it’s [more] toward the end of the road than the beginning of it. I just gotta make sure I’m set up for after football, as well.”
Kelce hasn’t wavered from dominating on the football field. Ever since he hit 29 years of age, all he’s done is produce six straight seasons of snatching between 90 to 100 catches while accompanied by multiple 1,000-yard campaigns.
Few tight ends in league history have been able to match Kelce’s production. One of the closest to Kelce is Hall of Famer and past Chiefs great Tony Gonzalez, who produced eight Pro Bowl appearances once he turned 29 and eventually stretched his career to the age of 37, though he finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons.
Another is Antonio Gates of the Chargers. While in San Diego, Gates produced three Pro Bowl nominations, including one 1,000-yard season (1,157 in 2009) once he hit 29. Gates eventually retired at the age of 38.
Meanwhile, a TE Kelce is often compared to, George Kittle, has delivered three straight Pro Bowl nods for the San Francisco 49ers after turning 28.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL TE Rankings: Travis Kelce Loses No. 1 Spot
Kelce is also under contract through 2025, which he agreed to in May. This new deal makes him the highest-paid NFL tight end, paying the three-time Super Bowl winner $34,250,000, including $17 million guaranteed.
With his contract in place, plus his decision to avoid retirement chatter, Kelce then addressed the next elephant in the Chiefs’ room: Three-peat chances.
Kelce on Three-Peat Chances — ‘You Can Always Bet on the Chiefs, Baby’
Kelce and the Chiefs will be chasing history this upcoming season.
No NFL franchise has ever won three consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophies in the Super Bowl era. Past league dynasties, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and New England Patriots, all produced back-to-back winners but failed to win a third straight title.
MORE: John Harbaugh Jokingly Urges Kelce to Retire, Settle Down With Swift
Some NFL fans will walk into the ’24 season with the belief the Chiefs won’t accomplish their pursuit of a third straight title. Kelce, though, fired off this eight-word message to reporters about the three-peat chances.
“You can always bet on the Chiefs, baby,” Kelce enthusiastically said.
Travis Kelce speaks on the potential of a 3peat, the teams mentality on it, and a fun little note about what Taylor Swift likes to bake at the end. 😂⬇️
Via #chiefs presser pic.twitter.com/VtD1i3x7mv
— Lexi (@lexiosborne) June 11, 2024
Kelce even jokingly claimed that he only talks about the possibility of a three-peat “when I have the cameras in front of me.”
However, he has noticed a renewed focus inside the Chiefs’ locker room and shared the recipe the Chiefs have turned to during their title pursuits.
“I think everybody is pretty motivated to keep the mentality that we had last year,” Kelce explained. “We didn’t get to back-to-back by always talking about going back-to-back. We got there by always trying to figure out what’s the best way to get better from last week and yesterday. And I think that mentality is key in something like this.”