Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce breaks his silence on upcoming retirement decision
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Kansas City Chiefs News
Travis Kelce has a big decision to make this offseason.
After the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, it’s possible that Kelce walked off the field for the final time in a Chiefs uniform.
It’s been reported all season that the tight end is going to contemplate retirement now that the 2024 season is over, and on Wednesday, he opened up about the upcoming decision on the latest episode of New Heights.
“That process can be grueling and it can weigh on you, it can make you better and it can drive you crazy at the same time,” Kelce explained. “And right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year. And I think it kind of happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career as SVP would say.
“As you see yourself or not feel yourself have the success that you once used to have, it’s a tough pill to swallow. And then on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team’s counting on you. Those are all extremely hard things to, it’s just a hard reality.”
He hasn’t made any final decisions about what’s next. Kelce will talk it through with his family to make sure he is making the best decision for himself.
“I’m gonna take some time to figure it out. And I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back that it’s gonna be a wholehearted decision and I’m not half assing it, and I’m fully here for them,” Kelce said. “I think I can play, it’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person, to take on all that responsibility.”
And nobody knows about this more than his brother.
“Preaching to the choir brother,” Jason Kelce said after his brother’s answer.
Here’s Travis Kelce’s full quote:
“Obviously everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year and right now I’m just kicking everything down the road. Kicking every can I can down the road.
“I’m not making any crazy decisions but I, right now’s the biggest thing is being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches. Understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this thing.
“I’ve been fortunate over the last five years to play five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody, and it’s because of the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Champions and these Super Bowls. That means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league and that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. It’s a lot of time spent in the building, focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand, every challenge that you set up for yourself. That process can be grueling and it can weigh on you, it can make you better and it can drive you crazy at the same time.
“And right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year. And I think it kind of happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career as SVP would say. As you see yourself or not feel yourself have the success that you once used to have, it’s a tough pill to swallow. And then on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your teams counting on you. Those are all extremely hard things to, it’s just a hard reality.
“I’m gonna take some time to figure it out. And I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back that it’s gonna be a wholehearted decision and I’m not half assing it, and I’m fully here for them.
“I think I can play, it’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
