Kansas Metropolis Chiefs star Travis Kelce has already secured his legacy as one of many best tight ends of all time, however that doesn’t imply he’s able to stroll away from his NFL profession.
“I do know I’m 34 years outdated, about to be 35, however I’ve a love to do that proper right here in the midst of the warmth in June,” Kelce mentioned forward of the Chiefs’ minicamp session in June 2024. “I like coming to work each single day and doing this.”
In accordance with a examine by RBC Wealth Administration, the common retirement age for an NFL participant is 27.6 years outdated, however Kelce added that he plans to maintain enjoying soccer “till the wheels fall off.”
Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, who is 2 years his senior, set an instance of a swish exit when he retired from the Philadelphia Eagles on the finish of the 2023 season. Throughout a June 2024 episode of their “New Heights” podcast, Jason gave his brother some retirement knowledge.
Jason Kelce has been a fixture of the Philadelphia Eagles offense for greater than a decade, however he was practical concerning the thought of retirement previous to formally stepping down in March 2024. Kelce was drafted in 2011, changing into the primary rookie in Eagles historical past to start out all 16 common season video games at heart. He […]
“That is while you’re going to start out realizing, every time this time comes, and you want to stroll away,” Jason mentioned. “[It’s] the preventing your physique, like, you used to have the ability to do one thing you possibly can’t do anymore. That’s when it’s such as you’re preventing that, to proceed to get that again. That’s when it begins to turn out to be onerous. Backside line is everybody is aware of when it’s time for them.”
Not like Jason, Travis doesn’t have a household to issue into his retirement timeline — Jason shares daughters Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett with spouse Kylie Kelce — however he’s in a dedicated relationship with Taylor Swift. Travis and Swift introduced their engagement in August 2025, and the couple’s romance goes as robust as their respective careers.
“I find it irresistible when Taylor comes and helps me and enjoys the sport with the fam and mates,” Travis mentioned throughout a January 2024 look on The Pat McAfee Present.
Hold scrolling to see the whole lot Kelce has mentioned about his NFL retirement plans, or lack thereof:
April 2023
Travis mentioned he “hadn’t put a lot thought into” retiring throughout an interview with Bleacher Report.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are all anybody can discuss since they received collectively in 2023. Their 2025 engagement, which got here weeks earlier than Swift launched her album The Lifetime of a Showgirl (that includes loads of references to Kelce), has made them a fair greater matter of dialog. Swift and Kelce have been first linked in […]
“I completely love what I’m doing, I like doing it right here in Kansas Metropolis,” he mentioned. “I don’t even wish to take into consideration placing a time restrict on this. My physique nonetheless feels good, I nonetheless really feel like I will help the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs win. On high of that, each single day is a blast coming into the constructing.”
June 2023
On the Chiefs minicamp, Travis reiterated his need to maintain enjoying soccer.
“I like this recreation,” he continued. “I do know I’m going to overlook it once I’m completed enjoying. … I get to play a recreation for a residing on the age of 33, 34 and I believe that’s one thing – you understand, I don’t wish to lose that. I don’t wish to lose that pleasure that I had for a recreation once I was a child.”
November 2023
The athlete admitted that accidents prompted him to consider retirement “greater than anybody may ever think about” throughout an interview with The Wall Road Journal.
“That’s the one factor I’ve by no means actually been open about,” he mentioned. “The discomfort. The ache. The lingering accidents — the ten surgical procedures I’ve had that I nonetheless really feel each single surgical procedure to this present day.”
January 2024
“I’ve no motive to cease enjoying soccer,” Travis instructed reporters at a press convention. He famous that alternatives like his March 2023 Saturday Evening Reside internet hosting gig had given him a glimpse of his future prospects, however he nonetheless wasn’t able to stroll away from his old flame.
“I’ve been lucky to do a couple of issues outdoors of the sports activities world that I’ve been having fun with doing, like getting on digital camera,” he defined. “The SNL stuff form of opened up a brand new happiness and a brand new profession path for me, but it surely’s humorous for me to even say that at this level in my profession as a result of I believe it’s a lot additional down the street than it’s proper now.”
June 2024
Throughout a press convention, Travis mentioned that he wasn’t planning on retiring “anytime quickly” and mentioned he “actually can’t put a timeframe” on his NFL exit.
“I’m going to do it till the wheels fall off,” he mentioned. “I can undoubtedly perceive that it’s towards the top of the street [more] than the start of it. I simply gotta be certain I’m arrange for after soccer as properly.”
Travis added that he nonetheless will get a number of pleasure from his NFL profession.
“I like coming to work each single day,” he mentioned. “Clearly, I do know there’s alternatives outdoors of soccer for me. I believe you’ve gotta hold in perspective that I’m just a little child once I come on this constructing.”
January 2025
Throughout an look on the Stephen A. Smith Present, Travis denied that he’s able to retire at girlfriend Swift’s insistence.
“She’s absolutely encouraging me to get pleasure from enjoying this recreation,” Travis mentioned. “She loves coming to Arrowhead [Stadium] and coming to the video games and cheering for me, so I received all of the help on the planet to maintain chasing these goals.”
February 2025
Throughout Tremendous Bowl LIX Opening Evening on February 3, Kelce was requested the place he expects to be in 3 years.
“Hopefully nonetheless enjoying soccer,” Kelce instructed reporters. “I like doing this. I like coming into work day by day. I really feel like I nonetheless received a number of good soccer left in me.”
He added, “We’ll see what occurs. I do know I’ve been setting myself up for different alternatives in my life. That’s all the time been the objective, realizing that soccer solely lasts for therefore lengthy.”
February 2025
Following the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LIX, a somber Kelce mentioned, “We haven’t performed that dangerous all season.”
Kelce didn’t deal with his enjoying future throughout his temporary feedback to reporters.
When Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was requested if he thought Kelce would return for an additional season, he mentioned, “I’ll let Travis make that call on his personal.”
Mahomes added, “He’s given a lot to this workforce and to the NFL, and been such a pleasure not just for me to work with however [for] individuals to observe.”
October 2025
Travis mentioned his potential retirement throughout an interview on ESPN’S Monday Evening Countdown together with his brother, Jason.
“Man, I’ll be lucky to maintain having enjoyable with these guys yr in yr out, man,” Travis mentioned, including, “I take it day-to-day, yr by yr. I simply love coming into work with these guys.”
November 2025
Travis shared a brand new replace on the place his head was at with regards to his potential retirement plans, telling reporters in November that he would give the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs loads of discover when the time got here.
“You already know, seeing my brother undergo it and seeing…simply how the league works, the season form of restarts in April, and I wish to give the Chiefs an excellent alternative to know whether or not I come again or not,” he mentioned. “And vice versa. Like, whether or not they need me again or not, it’s a kind of issues the place I’d prefer to make that call earlier than they’ve received to get draft picks and free company opens up.”
He added, “I’d prefer to make that call earlier than they’ve received to get draft picks and free company opens to fill the roster appropriately… All that can be on the finish of the season. I received’t be serious about it till then.
