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Travis Kelce addresses the likelihood he returns to Kansas City Chiefs in 2026

Meby: Nick Geddes01/07/26NickGeddesNews

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce openly talked about his NFL future on the latest episode of his “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother, Jason Kelce. No, Travis has not yet made a decision.

There are two options: return for a 14th season or retire. At some point, Travis will make that call. Right now, he plans to sit back and be a “regular human” before figuring out his future.

“As every season ends for me, I put my feet up, and I just be a human. Just being a regular human for a couple weeks, maybe a month or so, trying to figure out what I’m gonna do next in terms of my future in football,” Travis said. “And I think, you know, I’ve talked to a few people in the facility already, you know, having the exit meetings and everything, and they know where I stand at least right now.”

Travis, 36, is coming off a season in which he hauled in 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns. The Chiefs, coming off three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, hit a wall in 2025. They finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, Kelce’s second season in the league. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL, putting him in jeopardy of being ready for the start of the 2026 season.

Travis Kelce must decide if he wants to play in 2026

Travis has a lot to weigh in determining if he wants to keep playing. What hasn’t left him is his love for the game. Ultimately, how his body responds in the coming weeks will be a major factor in his decision.

“There’s a lot of love for the game that’s still there, and I don’t think I’ll ever lose that,” Kelce said. “It’s a tough thing to navigate but at the same time, if my body can heal up and rest up, and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat. I think right now it’s just finding that answer and seeing how the body feels after this game and kinda when it all settles down.”

The Chiefs intend to give Travis time to make that call. One thing’s for certain: head coach Andy Reid believes he still has the ability.

“We all love Travis,” Reid said Monday. “Trav can still play. I’m not trying questioning that part or any of it. I’m not trying to avoid your question, but I know there’s time. Last year, I was asked kind of the same thing. We’ve got a little bit of time to figure everything out, and so does Trav.”