It was made official by Pat McAfee on his show — Travis Kelce is returning to the NFL for at least one more season, his 13th in the league. A heartbreaking end to his career in Super Bowl 59 isn’t how he wants to end his story, and he’s ready to write its next chapter.
But after speculation ran roughshod after the season, retirement isn’t too far for the legendary tight end. In fact, according to a recent report, it is something he’s considered alongside beau Taylor Swift. The end might be near.
Travis Kelce Mulling Retirement With Taylor Swift’s Lucky Number
Swift becoming a regular part of NFL programming has led to an undeniable bump in the sport’s popularity. Her fame has led to a large section of her fandom getting introduced to the NFL and its rigors. Record ratings, streaming deals, and the largest cap space in history have all followed suit.
However, it’s been a two-way street for the couple themselves. Swift has made it a point to change the lyrics to her songs during performances to incorporate Kelce into them. At the same time, when free, he is a regular attendee at all of her shows all over the world.
And he might make the biggest decision of his career keeping her in mind. “There is a high likelihood that this will be his last year in the NFL and he will not sign a new contract, the only thing not confirmed is if he will mention that this would be his last year or not. But he is looking forward to playing,” a source familiar with Kelce’s thinking told the Daily Mail.
And the reason is deeply personal to his girlfriend. “He has mentioned that he isn’t very superstitious, but he has discussed with Taylor that this year would be his 13th year in the NFL, her favorite number and they have talked about how cool it would be for him to play this year, and if it were to be his last, how poetic that would be for them,” a source added.
YEAR 13. pic.twitter.com/qHg9cibYhd
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 28, 2025
For every Swiftie out there, 13 is close to supernatural. Thanks to the international pop star’s fascination with the number, it holds a special place in the minds of her fanbase.
Whether it is her birth date, Dec. 13, her luck at award shows when sitting in the 13th row, or even the blue “13” she writes on her hand for good luck, the number clearly means a lot to the biggest artist in the world. When no longer in doubt, she even acknowledged the place the number holds her in life.
Speaking to MTV after the debut of her first album, “Fearless,” which first put her on the map, Swift said, “The significance of the No. 13 on my hand … I paint this on my hand before every show because 13 is my lucky number; for a lot of reasons. It’s really weird.”
Going on, she explained how the number surrounds her, “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first No. 1 song had a 13-second intro. Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter.”
For her, the end logic is simple: “Whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it’s a good thing.”