Chiefs offseason investments go directly against Travis Kelce's advice

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will turn 35 years old early this season. While the boyfriend of pop icon Taylor Swift claims he has a lot left in the tank -- and perhaps does, given he's a future Hall of Famer -- it's tough to blame the Chiefs for playing it safe.

"I’m gonna do it until the wheels fall off," Kelce said about his NFL future. "Hopefully, that doesn’t happen anytime soon. I can definitely understand that it’s toward the end of the road than the beginning of it. I just gotta make sure I’m set up for after football as well."

Kelce appreciates the wear and tear of professional football, and understands he won't be able to play forever. Coming to grips with his NFL mortality was a challenge, but the Chiefs tight end isn't ready to hang up his cleats just yet.

"I love coming to work every single day," Kelce said. "Obviously, I know there’s opportunities outside of football for me. I think you’ve gotta keep in perspective that I’m a little kid when I come in this building."

Those off-field opportunities will be plentiful once Kelce does decide to retire. Whether he pivots into broadcasting or entertainment is anyone's guess, but you should assume he'll be successful at whatever he does.

Chiefs already preparing for life without Travis Kelce

As for the current iteration of the Chiefs, Kelce will still play an impactful role in the passing game with Patrick Mahomes. He is Mahomes favorite target, of course, but the Chiefs seem to have come to an understanding that they need a more well-rounded approach to their passing game beyond Kelce. This is why they signed Hollywood Brown and traded up for Xavier Worthy in the NFL Draft.

Chiefs backup tight end Noah Gray had his best season to date in 2024, while KC also selected Jared Wiley out of TCU in the fourth round of April's draft. In his last season with the Horned Frogs, Wiley caught 47 passes for 520 yards and eight touchdowns.

Whether the Chiefs admit it publicly or not, Veach and the front office must prepare for a future without Kelce. There's no time like the present.