It's been a brutal season for Travis Kelce and the Chiefs. Kelce, one season closer to the inevitable end of his illustrious career, has been forced to play for an average football team in 2025. There are no if, ands, or buts about it.
These Chiefs aren't what we've grown accustomed to. There comes a point in every dynasty that the front office must retool. Brett Veach has reached that milestone, and his decisions this offseason will, for better or worse, define what is or what could've been in Kansas City. Kelce has no interest in discussing the future, especially after watching his good friend Patrick Mahomes go down with a serious injury in a Week 15 loss to the Chargers.
Same after Sunday's loss to Chargers. Kelce told reporters: "It's not the time. I'll catch you guys during the week." https://t.co/3OPNiLaEfd
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) December 14, 2025
Why didn't Travis Kelce and the Chiefs admit defeat?
These Chiefs haven't been in this position often. Kansas City was eliminated from playoff contention in Week 15, a full three games before the end of the regular season. Their superstar quarterback in Mahomes could very well be out for the season. Kelce's had a subpar campaign by his standards, as he's on pace for far less than 1,000 yards. Thanks to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift, Kelce is always in the limelight. This time around, he is not receiving the good kind of attention.
Kelce and the Chiefs aren't poor sports, but you can bet they are storing all of the naysayers' comments against them this week. They'll need it in the seasons to come, as there is only so much Veach can do with the cap space allotted to him. The Chiefs are what they are – a veteran-laden team that took a step back in 2025. The contracts devoted to Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones and others aren't going anywhere, unless Veach gets unseasonably creative.
Where should the Chiefs go from here – and is Kelce part of their future?
The Chiefs will keep Kelce around as long as he's interested. Kelce has one of the top-selling jerseys in the sport, and is worth his weight in gold thanks to his off-field sponsorships and relationship with Swift. I hate to put it so bluntly, but Kelce's value goes beyond the field of play. Even on the gridiron, he remains one of the best receiving threats at tight end in the NFL. In a down year, he still has just short of 800 receiving yards.
As for the franchise itself, the Chiefs need to get creative. The first step is to embrace their current position in the league. No, Kansas City won't make the playoffs, but should they lose out (or come close to it), they could improve their draft capital. Justin Carter of FanSided projected the Chiefs to select wide receiver Carnell Tate in the first round, tackle Trevor Goosby in the second, and running back Jadarian Price in the third. Those are all positions of need for the Chiefs, but offensive tackle is arguably their biggest hole these days.
Mahomes went down in part because the Chiefs couldn't protect him. If this dynasty is to receive a revival of sorts, it will be because of their quarterback play. Mahomes is a future Hall of Famer for a reason, no?
Halfway through his career, his only real on-field comparison is Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all-time. For the Chiefs to take a step back into Super Bowl contention, they will need Mahomes at his best. For the past few seasons, he has lacked protection, especially on his blind side.