Travis Kelce Mulls Retirement Ahead of Super Bowl LX

The 11-time Pro Bowl tight end has not yet decided if he will return for a 14th NFL season.

Feb. 8, 2026 at 3:15pm

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Travis Kelce, the veteran tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has not yet announced whether he will retire or return for another season in the NFL. The 36-year-old is scheduled to become a free agent next month, and the Chiefs are hoping to re-sign him, but they are also over $50 million over the salary cap heading into the 2026 season. Kelce is coming off a season with less than 1,000 receiving yards, his third consecutive year with those numbers, raising questions about whether he can still perform at an elite level.

Why it matters

Kelce's decision will have major implications for the Chiefs' roster and salary cap situation, as they will need to make significant moves to get under the cap. His retirement would also mark the end of an era for one of the NFL's most dominant tight ends of the past decade.

The details

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs want Kelce to return for at least one more season, but the veteran tight end has not yet made an official declaration about his future. Rapoport expects the two sides to speak after the Super Bowl to determine if Kelce will be back in Kansas City. Meanwhile, NFL insider Diana Russini of The Athletic reports that people close to Kelce believe there's a real chance he returns for another season.

  • Kelce is scheduled to become a free agent next month.
  • The Chiefs finished the 2025 season with a 6-11 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

The players

Travis Kelce

A 36-year-old tight end who has played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and is considered a future Hall of Famer.

Ian Rapoport

An NFL Network insider who reported that the Chiefs want Kelce to return for at least one more season.

Diana Russini

An NFL insider for The Athletic who reported that people close to Kelce believe there's a real chance he returns for another season.

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What they’re saying

“My understanding is that the Kansas City Chiefs want him back and hope that he is coming back. Kelce has not made clear on what he wants to do. He has not made an official declaration.”

— Ian Rapoport, NFL Network insider

“I'm told that while retirement has been discussed, many close to Travis Kelce believe he could return for a 14th season. The future Hall of Famer has yet to make a final decision about his future.”

— Diana Russini, NFL insider

What’s next

The Chiefs and Kelce are expected to speak after the Super Bowl to determine if he will return for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Kelce's decision will have major implications for the Chiefs, who are in a difficult salary cap situation. His retirement would mark the end of an era for one of the NFL's most dominant tight ends, but a return for one more season could help the Chiefs remain competitive in the AFC.