Following weeks of “will he or will not he?” hypothesis concerning his future, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce confirmed final week he’ll play one other season moderately than retire.
In the course of the newest version of his “New Heights” podcast, Kelce acknowledged that Kansas Metropolis’s Tremendous Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles final month “was most likely the largest issue” in his resolution to run it again with the Chiefs.
“I imply, it is a fairly cool strategy to exit, however I simply suppose I might nonetheless have this love for the sport. … I believe I might have thought of it extra if we’d’ve gained,” Kelce defined, as shared by Kevin Patra of the NFL’s web site.
Kelce caught simply 4 of six targets for 39 yards in opposition to the Eagles after which steered after the loss that he may retire as a result of “put on and tear” on his physique. After it was discovered through the NFL Scouting Mix that Kelce will give the Chiefs not less than yet another marketing campaign as an energetic participant, analysts and reporters famous that he may have extra of a decreased position in Kansas Metropolis’s offense throughout future regular-season video games.
“I really like taking part in,” Kelce mentioned through the podcast. “I nonetheless really feel like I can play it at a excessive stage and probably at the next stage than I did final yr. I do not suppose it was my finest outing. I believe I let my guys down in much more moments than I helped them, particularly in the event you have a look at my monitor report and the way I have been in years previous. I need to give it a great run. I received a nasty style in my mouth in how I ended final yr and the way effectively I used to be taking part in and the way accountable I used to be to the individuals round me.”
Kelce reportedly stepped up as a locker-room chief over the previous yr, however his 823 receiving yards and three landing catches have been profession lows exterior of when he appeared in only one recreation as a rookie through the 2013 season.
Some assume Kelce will name time on his profession subsequent winter, however he insisted through the episode that he “cannot say whether or not or not that is going to be the final yr” earlier than he absolutely embraces his quite a few off-the-field enterprise alternatives.
“I really like so many individuals in Kansas Metropolis, each in that facility, locally, and it is dwelling for me now. I do not need to depart that life but,” Kelce added. “I put in quite a lot of exhausting work and I put in quite a lot of focus into being one of the best that I can for Okay.C. Final yr, it did not finish effectively for us. I simply really feel like there is a accountability in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to provide Kansas Metropolis and the Chiefs group every thing that I’ve received, and that is what I’ll do.”
Whether or not or not Kelce will announce earlier than September that the 2025 season will probably be his “Final Dance” with the Chiefs shall be seen.
