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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs is making a retirement decision while he’s also planning a wedding with Taylor Swift.

Travis Kelce is busy planning a wedding with Taylor Swift, his future wife, but he also has to make a retirement decision about whether he’ll return to the NFL for the 2026-27 season. Kelce and the Chiefs have yet to come to an agreement yet, and while Kelce has made it sound like he’s interested in coming back, and the Chiefs have echoed that sentiment, if it doesn’t work out, Kansas City has to be ready.

So, the Kansas City Chiefs have to look for a backup plan if Kelce retires. Even if he doesn’t retire yet, they need someone to eventually fill his shoes, because he’s certainly in the latter part of his career.

Now, a Kelce replacement may have surfaced at the NFL Combine, offering a steady player to step in for the tight end. That’s good news for the Chiefs but may be a bit troubling for Kelce, especially as he tries to max out contract talks.

Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce May Have a Successor in the NFL Draft

In a piece out on Saturday, February 28, Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports says that there’s a standout at the 2026 NFL Combine who “may already have an advantage as a potential successor.” So, that’s a positive for the Chiefs but may give Kelce a bit less bargaining power in contract talks.

“Sooner rather than later, Kansas City will have to plan for life after Kelce,” he adds. “There’s no time like the present, with the 2026 NFL Draft loaded with talented prospects at the position.”

So, who’s that player? Goldman is impressed with Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who he says “lit the NFL Draft world on fire with his performance in testing and drills on Friday, recording the farthest and highest jumps by a tight end since 2003.”

Stowers is just under 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds, according to NFL research. He ran a 4.51s 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

“He’s drawn athletic comparisons to wide receivers, such as D.K. Metcalf as a result,” Goldman states. “It makes sense as he’s much more of a move/flex/power slot player at the tight end position than he is a traditional in-line blocker.”

More Praise for Tight End as Kansas City Chiefs Prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft

In a separate article from Dylan Flippo of the Aggies Wire, Flippo states, “Stowers blew away the competition in Indianapolis, Indiana, with an 11-foot-3 broad jump that set a record for tight ends at the event. It is tied for eighth among all players in combine history.”

He adds that Stowers is “projected to be a second- or third-round selection in this year’s draft, but Friday’s performance could give him a significant boost on many draft boards.” He also names the Chiefs as a possible landing spot.

Of course, Kelce is still making his retirement decision. “I think I’m still searching for those answers,” Kelce said when asked about retirement before the Kansas City Chiefs’ Christmas game in an interview on Amazon’s Prime Video. “Obviously, the way this one ended with a sour taste in my mouth.”

So, if Kelce decides to call it quits after this season, the Kansas City Chiefs may luck out and already have a solid, growing tight end to replace him.

Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson