Chiefs draw line in the sand with Travis Kelce as retirement buzz looms large

It's no secret that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is considering retiring from the NFL. After a disappointing 40-22 loss in Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles, the 10-time Pro Bowler had some pretty goodbye-sounding words for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He even publicly addressed the rumors he'd previously dismissed so easily.

On Wednesday, Kelce spoke about his decision-making process on that topic with his brother Jason on their "New Heights" podcast. He said he's "going to take some time" to contemplate his future.

"I’m kicking every can I can down the road ... [I don't want to make] any crazy decisions," Kelce said. "I think I’m going to take some time to figure it out ... I think I could play, it’s just whether or not I’m as motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person, to take on all that responsibility."

However, Kansas City doesn't want him to take too much time to figure out what's next. According to a report from The Athletic's Nate Taylor and Cale Clinton, the team has set a mid-March deadline for Kelce to make up his mind.

Travis Kelce has until March 14 to pick between the Chiefs or retirement

Now entering the final year of his contract with Kansas City, Kelce would be owed an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 15. The team obviously would like to avoid that expense if Kelce isn't planning on returning for the 2025-26 NFL season.

If Kelce does return next season, he'll be owed $4.5 million in base salary but he comes with a $19.8 million salary cap hit. Kansas City only has a little over $5 million in cap space to work with at the moment, according to Spotrac.

The 35-year-old has been a critical cog in head coach Andy Reid's offense, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards with 12,151 (that's almost 2,000 more than second-place - Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez). However, his usage has declined in the last two seasons despite having quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center.

Free agency begins March 10 and unless the Chiefs are going to draft Kelce's replacement in April, that's going to be their first (and likely best) opportunity to fill the massive hole he'll leave in the offense.

All eyes will be on Kelce as he mulls his all-important decision, not just because it could be the end of an era but because of the crucial financial implications that will follow.