Following weeks of “will he or will not he?” hypothesis concerning his future, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce confirmed final week he’ll play one other season reasonably than retire.
Throughout the newest version of his “New Heights” podcast, Kelce acknowledged that Kansas Metropolis’s Tremendous Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles final month “was in all probability the largest issue” in his choice to run it again with the Chiefs.
“I imply, it is a fairly cool approach to exit, however I simply suppose I’d nonetheless have this love for the sport. … I believe I’d have thought of it extra if we’d’ve gained,” Kelce defined, as shared by Kevin Patra of the NFL’s web site.
Kelce caught simply 4 of six targets for 39 yards towards the Eagles after which urged after the loss that he may retire because of the “put on and tear” on his physique. After it was discovered through the NFL Scouting Mix that Kelce will give the Chiefs a minimum of yet one more marketing campaign as an lively participant, analysts and reporters famous that he may have extra of a lowered position in Kansas Metropolis’s offense throughout future regular-season video games.
“I really like enjoying,” Kelce stated through the podcast. “I nonetheless really feel like I can play it at a excessive stage and presumably at a better stage than I did final 12 months. I do not suppose it was my finest outing. I believe I let my guys down in much more moments than I helped them, particularly in case you have a look at my monitor report and the way I have been in years previous. I need to give it a superb run. I received a foul style in my mouth in how I ended final 12 months and the way nicely I used to be enjoying and the way accountable I used to be to the folks round me.”
Kelce reportedly stepped up as a locker-room chief over the previous 12 months, however his 823 receiving yards and three landing catches had been profession lows outdoors of when he appeared in only one sport as a rookie through the 2013 season.
Some assume Kelce will name time on his profession subsequent winter, however he insisted through the episode that he “cannot say whether or not or not that is going to be the final 12 months” earlier than he totally embraces his quite a few off-the-field enterprise alternatives.
“I really like so many individuals in Kansas Metropolis, each in that facility, locally, and it is residence for me now. I do not need to depart that life but,” Kelce added. “I put in plenty of onerous work and I put in plenty of focus into being one of the best that I can for Okay.C. Final 12 months, it did not finish nicely for us. I simply really feel like there is a duty in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to present Kansas Metropolis and the Chiefs group every part that I’ve received, and that is what I’ll do.”
Whether or not or not Kelce will announce earlier than September that the 2025 season might be his “Final Dance” with the Chiefs shall be seen.
