Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce says he’ll “take a while” earlier than deciding whether or not to retire from the NFL following his facet’s Tremendous Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce starred within the Chiefs’ first 2025 playoff recreation in opposition to the Houston Texans however struggled in a victory over the Buffalo Payments earlier than failing to make an influence because the Eagles delivered a dominant 40-22 victory in New Orleans on Sunday.
The 35-year-old spoke candidly about his future in the course of the newest episode New Heights, the podcast he seems on along with his brother – and former NFL star – Jason Kelce.
“I do know all people needs to know whether or not or not I am enjoying subsequent yr. And proper now, I am simply kicking all the things down the highway,” Kelce stated.
“I am kicking each can I can down the highway and I am not making any loopy choices.
“Proper now, the largest factor is simply being there for my team-mates and being there for my coaches, understanding that there is a lot that goes into this factor.”
Kelce, together with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, have been the centrepieces of a exceptional run for the Chiefs that has seen them attain seven successive AFC Championship video games.
On Sunday they had been going for a historic third successive Tremendous Bowl victory – and a fourth title in six years.
Kelce, whose star has solely grown since he started relationship popstar Taylor Swift in 2023, admits the Chiefs’ unbelievable success has taken a toll on him.
He stated: “I have been lucky over the previous five-six years, I’ve performed extra soccer than anyone and it is as a result of the folks which might be in that constructing and the truth that we maintain going to those AFC Championships and these Tremendous Bowls.
“Meaning I am enjoying an additional three video games greater than all people else in your complete league. And that is quite a lot of put on and tear in your physique. And it is quite a lot of time spent within the constructing focusing in your craft, specializing in the duty at hand, each problem that you just arrange for your self.
“And that course of could be gruelling. It might probably weigh on you. It might probably make you higher and it may possibly drive you loopy on the similar time.
“And proper now, it is a kind of issues the place it was sort of driving me loopy this yr. And I feel that it occurs as you sort of tail off in the direction of the again 9 of your profession.”
After accumulating 117 receiving yards and scoring a landing in opposition to the Texans, Kelce managed only a complete of six catches for 58 yards within the last two video games of the Chiefs’ marketing campaign.
These numbers represented a major drop-off from final yr’s post-season, when he performed a key position in every of the 4 wins that took the Chiefs to Tremendous Bowl glory.
He added: “As you see your self or not really feel your self have the success that you just as soon as used to have, man, it is a powerful capsule to swallow.
“After which on high of that, to not be there within the largest moments, figuring out your group’s relying on you, man. These are all extraordinarily onerous issues. It is only a powerful actuality.
“I feel I will take a while to determine it out. And I feel I owe it to my team-mates that if I do come again, that it is going to be one thing that… it is a wholehearted choice, I am not half-assing it, I am totally right here for them.
“I feel I can play. It is simply whether or not or not I am motivated or it is the very best choice for me as a person, as a human, as a as an individual to tackle all that duty.”