Chiefs may need to go against Travis Kelce’s wishes in one major area

Ask Travis Kelce, and he wants to play football forever. He's perfectly happy showing up to work for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he wants to play football the same way he always has — all out.

As Kelce reaches the twilight of his career, however, the Chiefs need to tread carefully. Kelce is 34 years old and signed through the 2025 season, with past comments about retirement flying overhead like hungry vultures. Kelce's popularity should yield plenty of financial opportunities off the field once he hangs up his cleats. So, how long until Kelce calls it quits?

The Pro Bowl tight end appeared in front of the media on Tuesday afternoon. He was honest about the present juncture of his career, understanding that he's closer to the end than the beginning. That said, Kelce still enjoys his job and wants to play for as long as possible.

When asked about the potential limitations of an aging body, Kelce playfully told the Chiefs to "wear and tear" him.

Kelce said "put the load on me," expressing confidence in his ability to shoulder a primary pass-catching burden for a Chiefs team that relies heavily upon his contributions. It's up to Andy Reid, the coaching staff, and the medical staff to determine whether or not Kelce can actually afford to go all-out, all the time.

Travis Kelce isn't worried about wear and tear, but the Chiefs should be

Kelce wants the Chiefs to use him as they normally would. He's not-so-subtly rebuking the concept of load management. That doesn't mean Kansas City shouldn't do its due diligence and consider a more measured approach to Kelce's usage. The goal, at this point, isn't to dominate the regular season. The 2023 campaign was proof that Kansas City can overcome long odds and a low-ish seed in the playoffs. It's all about making sure Kelce can go full-throttle when the snaps count the most.

If that means Kansas City needs to limit Kelce's workload early in the season, so be it. We've seen it with great athletes and great competitors across all sports. Sometimes, a team needs to save a player from himself. Kelce has been one of the most durable players in the NFL since his arrival. Last season saw Kelce participate in 15 games, his lowest mark since he appeared in one game as a rookie in 2013. That is pretty absurd for such a physically demanding sport.

Kelce battled through various bumps and bruises last season. He certainly has a resumé to back up his mindset. Never has Kelce been forced to miss extended time. He is a perennial Pro Bowl tight end, always available and always productive. The key is to keep Kelce in that state. Father Time catches up to everybody at some point.

Ideally, Kelce can play 17 games without taking snaps off. How realistic that is at 34, in his 12th NFL season, is unclear. The Chiefs should prefer to have Kelce play 17 games at 80-90 percent of his standard workload if that means he's fresh and available once the playoffs roll around. That could make all the difference.

Obviously, Kelce knows his body better than all of us. Even better than the Chiefs medical staff. We cannot sit here and formulate a rest strategy with any real precision or insight. That said, in the simplest possible terms, Kansas City needs to protect Kelce from his own competitive spirit. It's admirable to want to play every snap and every game, but at a certain point, it's best to prioritize the longview. Especially if the end result is a historic three-peat.