Following a Week 17 loss to the Denver Broncos, Travis Kelce may have played his final home game at Arrowhead with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce led the Chiefs in receiving with 36 yards on five catches. However, what made headlines more than anything Kelce accomplished during the game was his swan song while leaving Arrowhead.
Travis Kelce walks off the field after his last home game of the season 🫶 @tkelce | @chiefs pic.twitter.com/5keiEj8Hvu
— NFL (@NFL) December 26, 2025
The 36-year-old, future Hall of Fame tight end could very well retire after this season. He has a career waiting for him after football and he's about to marry his pop star girlfriend, Taylor Swift. Once Kelce does retire, it'll leave a gaping hole in the KC roster they'll try to fill in short order. The Chiefs rivals, many of whom are determined to keep them in the doldrums of the AFC West, ought to do everything in their power to ensure Mahomes doesn't land another No. 1 weapon at tight end.
Travis Kelce replacements: Chiefs could act quickly in free agency
Kyle Pitts
If anyone can finally unlock the potential of Kyle Pitts, it's Andy Reid. Kansas City's system is at its best when they have a young tight end to allow Mahomes to use the middle of the field. Pitts has shown flashes of brilliance in the NFL. It's why he was a first-round pick, after all. But any fantasy football manager can give the Chiefs front office a piece of advice on Pitts: Don't get your hopes up.
Through 15 games, Pitts has 854 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He's been one of the rare bright spots for a Falcons offense that's rotated through Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins far too often this season. If he can put up those kinds of numbers with Cousins, just imagine what he'll do when prominently featured in Kansas City.
David Njoku
The one flaw in David Njoku's game is that he can, at times, struggle to hang onto the football. Drops have plagued Njoku for his entire career, but he's also spent most of that time catching balls from subpar quarterback play. Njoku has never known the kind of ball Mahomes throws on a regular basis, nor has he learned from coaches like Reid or Matt Nagy. There's no denying the kind of talent Njoku possesses. It's why he's been on the trade block for the better part of two seasons, despite some down years.
In free agency, he'll get a chance to prove his worth, likely on a short-term deal.
Isaiah Likely
It's about time Isaiah Likely got out from under Mark Andrews' shadow. Likely had a crucial touchdown overturned against the Pittsburgh Steelers just a few weeks ago, a game that could very well determine the Ravens fate in the AFC Playoff Picture.
Likely's had his moments as a Raven, but they are few and far between these days, especially with Andrews in tow as one of the best tight ends in the NFL when healthy. One would expect two tight end sets to thrive in a system which emphasizes Lamar Jackson's strengths, but Likely hasn't seen the field enough to reap the reward. That means he can be had for cheap on the free-agent market, if the Chiefs are interest in stealing a weapon from a rival.
Who could the Chiefs draft to replace Travis Kelce?
If we're discussing a one-for-one replacement for Kelce in the draft, there is only a single option. Kenyon Sadiq, tight end of the Oregon Ducks, is easily the best player at his position in the class. As John Blair of FanSided wrote in his latest mock, Sadiq can create separation in a way only Kelce can really replicate at the NFL level.
"He is an elite athlete with the quickness to consistently create separation in the passing game. That ability led to 42 receptions and eight touchdowns this season. He is also dangerous after the catch, finishing as the only FBS tight end last year to average more than 10 yards after the catch per reception. The cost to land Sadiq will be high, but his impact would justify the investment," Blair wrote.
Now, the question is whether the Chiefs will want to select a tight end in the first round. If so, they could either trade back from their projected early-teens position, or deal back into the back of the first round after using their first pick on another talented player.
A trade possibility for Chiefs to replace Travis Kelce
For any team in need of a tight end, why look any further than a team with far too many of them? Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to collect tight ends as if they're shiny new toys, and to his credit, he usually finds a way to utilize them. The Steelers go to heavy personnel more than most NFL teams. However, even with that usage rate, Pat Friermuth could use a fresh start.
The Steelers signed Freiermuth to a contract extension prior to the 2024-25 season that'll pay him roughly $48.4 million over the next four years. He responded with seven touchdown catches and nearly 700 yards receiving, one of his best seasons to date. This year, he hasn't been the same player.
With the Chiefs, Freiermuth would get to work with Reid, Nagy and Mahomes, plus play in an offensive system that relies more heavily on the middle of the field and passing game. Freiermuth isn't an elite blocker, and thus has found himself on the bench far too often in Pittsburgh.