NEW ORLEANS — Travis Kelce isn’t sure if Super Bowl LIX was his final NFL game, as the future Hall of Fame tight end had been reportedly mulling retirement prior to the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce has played 12 years in the NFL and won three Super Bowl titles in Kansas City, and he said during Super Bowl week he had no plans to walk away. Whatever Kelce decides this offseason, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes won’t force his hand.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own, man,” Mahomes said after the Super Bowl. “He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch.”
Kelce didn’t have his typical dominant season like in years past, totaling 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns (8.5 yards per catch). The 823 yards were the lowest for Kelce in a full season since 2014.
The playoffs were a little better for Kelce, as he finished with 13 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown, but had only four catches for 39 yards in the Super Bowl LIX loss. Kelce was essentially a non-factor in the game, but played another significant role in the Chiefs getting to the Super Bowl.
“He knows he still has a lot of football left in him,” Mahomes said. “You can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moments. But, it’s if he wants to put in that grind because it’s a grind to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl. He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
Mahomes added that the 35-year-old Kelce has earned the right to take his time in making a decision.
“I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own,” Mahomes said. “But he knows he’ll come back here with welcome arms. We love that guy not only for the football player, but the person that he is every single day.”
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