Following a humbling defeat in Super Bowl LIX, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce walked off the field at Caesars Superdome in silence. He didn’t hold a postgame press conference, but there wasn’t much he needed to say about the drubbing — the shock and sorrow was noticeably visible on his facial expression.
Those moments may prove to be the bitter ending of Kelce’s storybook career. During the opening night festivities before the Super Bowl, Kelce expressed that he’d like to still be playing football in three years. That enthusiasm disappeared after Kansas City’s 40-22 drubbing by the Philadelphia Eagles.
During a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Kelce made it clear that he’s considering retirement after the devastating loss. Although he hasn’t made a decision yet, Kelce said he’s “kicking everything down the road” and won’t make “any crazy decisions.”
Travis Kelce is taking a step back as retirement decision looms
The “New Heights” podcast won’t release a new episode this week, per the show’s official social media accounts.
Page Six reports that Kelce and girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, are "enjoying some downtime" on vacation. Page Six also states that with Swift's tour ending in December and football season ending in February, the two "planned for this time to focus on some alone time to just be together.”
It’s probably a good idea for Kelce to disconnect from the never-ending sports news cycle as he mulls over his retirement. Since the Super Bowl, there has been no shortage of rumors, speculation, advice and opinions about his future.
Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who also experienced a blowout loss in the Super Bowl near the end of his career, was one of the latest to weigh in on Kelce’s potential retirement.
“I hope he takes some time and doesn’t make a rushed decision,” Manning told E! News. “It’s emotional coming off that Super Bowl, so the last thing you want to do is go, ‘Okay, I’m going to make a decision now.’ Take some time, take a full month. Let some things digest and calm down. I think you’ll make a better decision then.”
Any decision Kelce makes will likely come before March 15, when he’s scheduled to earn an $11.5 million roster bonus. Kansas City would also likely prefer to know his decision before the NFL’s free agency period begins on March 10.
Kelce has started 21 playoff games since 2018, adding over one additional season’s worth of games to his career. He led the team in targets in all but one of those seasons — former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill saw 159 targets in 2021.
Although Kelce signed a two-year contract before the season, his underwhelming season suggested that it may be time to hang up the cleats. At age 35, it was clear that the perennial Pro Bowl tight end had lost a few steps. His 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns were the fewest of his career since he became a starter in 2014.