Travis Kelce has arrived back at Kansas City Chiefs HQ as he gears up for one of his most crucial summer training camps yet after last season’s Super Bowl disaster.
The 35-year-old Kelce, who has been keeping a low profile in the offseason with girlfriend Taylor Swift, had faced some calls to retire after an underwhelming 2024 campaign.
Instead, the three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end has set his sights on avenging the Chiefs’ crushing defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles back in February, which saw them miss out on a historic three-peat. With an eye toward 2025, Kelce was among the attendees at voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) on Tuesday in Kansas City, as seen in video posted on social media.
Unlike last year, when he and Taylor couldn’t stay out of the spotlight, Travis has enjoyed a much quieter break from NFL duties this time around, with the couple keen to unwind together away from the cameras in recent months.
Yet just over three months out from Kansas City’s season opener in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kelce returned to the team’s facility on Tuesday ahead of his latest training camp.
He will be desperate to enter the 2025 season in optimum shape after putting up some of the worst individual numbers of his career in 2024, which led many to believe his career was coming to an end.
Travis Kelce is seen arriving to work after a relatively quiet few months as OTAs begin in KC
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is seen on May 12 in New York City
Ed Kelce, Ashley Avignone, Alana Haim, Ross Travis, Taylor Swift, Este Haim, Danielle Haim and Donna Kelce attend Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 9 in New Orleans
However, after admitting he was weighing up his future, the Chiefs icon confirmed to Pat McAfee at the end of February that he is not hanging up his cleats just yet.
Kelce then explained to older brother Jason on their New Heights podcast shortly after: ‘I think the biggest thing is that I f***ing love playing the game of football. I still feel I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year.
‘I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past.
‘I want to give it a good run. I’ve got a bad taste in my mouth on how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was for the people around me. I love so many people in Kansas City, both in that facility and the community and it’s home for me now.
‘I don’t want to leave that life yet. I put in a lot of hard work and focus into being the best I can be for Kansas City and last year it didn’t end well for us. I feel there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract I initially signed to give the organization everything that I’ve got and that’s what I’m going to do man.’
Kelce has been keeping his head down and recharging his batteries with Swift, who wrapped up her Eras Tour at the end of 2024, since February’s hammering at the hands of Philadelphia.
Unlike 2024 (pictured), when they were frequently seen in public, the couple is more reclusive
Receiver Xavier Worthy was seen returning to Chiefs headquarters in Kansas City on Tuesday
The superstar couple were nowhere to be seen at the Met Gala earlier this month , while Travis also opted against joining his good friend Patrick Mahomes at the Miami Grand Prix.
They were seen in Florida over the weekend, nevertheless, as Swift went out for some food with her man after her legal drama with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni came to an end. The pair were also spotted on a day out with Kelce’s family in Philadelphia earlier this month.
But their offseason vacation went under the radar as they enjoyed some much-needed downtime together, before reports emerged claiming they were spotted in Montana not long after the Super Bowl.
On a recent episode of New Heights, Kelce remained coy about where he’s been during his time off while speaking with mom Donna.
Donna first told her youngest son: ‘You look a little dark, Trav. You have a tan?’
But he brushed aside her observation and said he has just been in his ‘cubicle’ since the NFL season ended.
