Travis Kelce has put together a career up there with many of the greatest tight ends in NFL history and remains a productive pass catcher for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023. Still, rumors have recently swirled as to whether Kelce might retire following the season after his brother Jason appeared to announce his own retirement.
Could Travis Kelce Retire After the Season?
With Travis getting up in age for a skill position player at 34 and having accomplished plenty across his decorated 11 years with the Chiefs, speculation abounds as to whether he might soon call it quits.
The veteran tight end addressed those rumors with reporters this week, stating his lack of interest in retiring.
“I love (playing with the Chiefs),” Kelce told reporters. “We still have success, come in with the right mindset, and I just love the challenge that it gives me every single day to try and be at my best.
“I have no desire to stop anytime soon.”
However, during Sunday’s Lions vs. Buccaneers game, Michele Tofoya reported that she believes both Travis and Jason could officially retire at the end of the season. Jason’s season is already finished.
“I believe Travis Kelce will retire at the end of the season… like his brother.”
Kelce has certainly shown no signs of slowing down thus far, with another productive season underway in 2023. He caught 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns across 15 regular-season appearances, narrowly missing out on his eighth straight season with more than 1,000 receiving yards.
Those numbers come on the heels of a strong 2022 campaign that saw him tally a career-high 110 catches for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns, helping lead Kansas City to its second Super Bowl championship in four years.
Still, what appeared to be his brother Jason’s retirement led to speculation that Travis might hang up the cleats as well.
Reports initially emerged Tuesday morning that Jason had told his teammates he was retiring after the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Monday’s Wild Card Round clash. Some speculated that Jason’s retirement might give Travis further motivation to retire himself.
Jason has since pushed back on reports of his retirement, however, as he addressed them on Wednesday’s edition of the New Heights podcast with Travis.
“When it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it’ll be done in a way that’s definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me and has led to the career I’ve had,” Kelce said on the podcast. “I don’t think that it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that.
“But I did address the team and pretty much said the same thing I just said to you, which is, ‘I got belief in every single one of you guys; cherish the moments you have in this league.'”
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It’s unclear at this point whether Jason will ultimately step away from the game or what influence that might have on Travis’ potential decision regarding retirement if he does.
Still, it seems a bit unlikely that Travis would retire at this juncture.
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