Travis Kelce has yet to decide whether he will play in the NFL next season, but has vowed to inform the Kansas City Chiefs by early March to ensure the team is prepared for 2026
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has announced that he will discuss his future by early March, ensuring it doesn’t disrupt the organization’s plans for free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kelce, 36, is in the final year of his Chiefs contract and was rumored to be considering retirement after losing Super Bowl LIX in February. Kelce then announced he would return for the 2025 season, but his future with the Chiefs and in the NFL remains unknown.
The tight end revealed earlier this year that he’s still feeling young after announcing his engagement to Taylor Swift, but continues to ponder his future. No matter what decision Kelce makes, he will inform the Chiefs before NFL free agency begins next year.
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On Friday, Kelce said: “I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not — or whether they want me back or not. I’d like to make that decision before they’ve got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately.
“All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then.”
Kelce has proven his worth during a stuttering campaign for the Chiefs. The veteran leads the team in yards (631), touchdowns (4), receptions (50) and targets (66). Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals is the only tight end with more yards in the NFL this season.
While Kelce’s statistics stand out, roster options have been limited. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was suspended for the first six games of the season, and Xavier Worthy missed two games due to a shoulder injury sustained in a collision with Kelce.
When healthy, Kelce has praised the receivers for their assistance in his efforts this season. “I think what you’re seeing is I’m a product of my environment right now,” Kelce said.
“Everything is predicated off of how the offensive line does and how the guys around us do. Obviously, the chemistry me and (Patrick Mahomes) have been able to accumulate over the years.”
Mahomes has also done a lot of the heavy-lifting on the ground this season, and is on track to smash his single-season rushing record. Mahomes has 288 rushing yards from 48 carries, and his NFL-best is 389 during the 2023 season.
The Chiefs quarterback has already equaled his career-high of four rushing touchdowns in a single season, and seven games are remaining. Kareem Hunt has been the most productive running back this season, with 353 yards and six touchdowns from 86 carries.
Isiah Pacheco has 329 yards and one touchdown from 78 carries, but hasn’t been the same since suffering a fractured fibula in Week 2 of the 2024 season. Pacheco is also an injury doubt for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts after suffering a knee injury.
Although the Colts are 8-2 this season and competing for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, it feels like a must-win game for the struggling Chiefs. Kelce’s decision on next season may come sooner than expected, as the Chiefs are currently 5-5 and are at risk of missing the playoffs.
