Travis Kelce has confirmed he will return to play for the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2025 NFL season after February’s Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce and the Chiefs were denied a historic third successive Super Bowl win in New Orleans when they suffered a 40-22 defeat to Nick Sirianni’s side.
The veteran tight end had been subject to retirement rumours at the age of 35, but insists he is not ready to walk away from football just yet.
Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt discusses the importance and brilliance of Travis Kelce and what he brings to the team
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in February he expected a ‘fired up’ Kelce to be back with the team for the upcoming campaign.
On Monday, the future Hall of Famer verified as much.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year,” Kelce said on New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with brother Jason.
Travis Kelce rubbished retirement rumours ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ fifth Super Bowl in seven years, where they face the Philadelphia Eagles
“I don’t think it was my best outing. I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them.
“I have a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was for the people around me. I don’t want to leave that life yet.
“I feel like there is a responsibility in me to play out the contract I initially signed to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organisation everything I’ve got, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Kelce managed just four catches for 39 yards during the Super Bowl, although in doing so did set the record for most Super Bowl receptions in history with 35, having also previously broken the record for postseason catches with 172.
The three-time Super Bowl champion is coming off a career-low 823 receiving yards during the 2024 regular season.
