The Kansas City Chiefs’ season ended when Patrick Mahomes‘ did via a catastrophic knee injury on a fourth-quarter drive against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
Fans and media members began speculating more or less immediately as to whether that would influence tight end Travis Kelce’s decision on whether to return to the team in 2026 or retire after 13 highly successful NFL seasons.
Kelce dropped a major hint as to which way he is leaning, perhaps even inadvertently, during a conversation with his brother Jason Kelce on their “New Heights” podcast as the two discussed Mahomes’ recent surgery to repair the damaged ACL and LCL in his left knee joint.
“He’s gonna make sure he comes back stronger than ever,” Kelce said of Mahomes. “Hopefully the Chiefs can get him back as soon as possible.”
Choosing to refer to his current team as “the Chiefs” and not via a possessive plural pronoun, such as “we,” Kelce distanced himself from the organization for which he has played his entire career, made 10 Pro Bowl appearances and earned All-Pro honors seven times.
If Kelce’s choice to do so was a conscious one, he may have been intentionally sending a message that his plan is to leave the sport following the final three games of the 2025-26 regular season, as Kansas City can’t mathematically earn a playoff spot.
Even if he did not intend to say what he said the way he said it, Kelce’s subconscious slip up appeared to clearly tip his hand on the way he’s leaning with regards to his NFL career — at least at the current moment.
Patrick Mahomes’ Injury, Recovery Could Have Impact on Travis Kelce’s Retirement Decision
GettyTight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelce could always change his mind. In fact, even if he announces his retirement, there is plenty of historical precedent for big-time athletes finding that they miss the game soon after they leave it and jumping back into the fray.
Mahomes’ injury was deflating for the entire team and fanbase, and very well may be influencing Kelce’s emotions and line of logic with regards to the next steps in his life. But the two-time MVP quarterback has already had surgery and has a chance to return healthy for Week 1 next season, even if the odds and traditional recovery timeline suggest he will miss a couple weeks at least, and possibly a couple of months.
Should Mahomes outpace the typical return track, and should the Chiefs revamp the roster with a bold offseason of personnel upgrades, Kelce could perhaps be more inclined to come back for one more year. His contract also expires when this season does, and Kansas City could try to influence Kelce’s decision by offering him a lucrative deal.
Travis Kelce Already Among Best Tight Ends in NFL History
GettyKansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
If Kelce does retire, he will do so as one of the best tight ends to ever play the game.
He currently has 1,071 catches, 12,948 receiving yards and 82 receiving TDs over the course of his career, which spans a total of 189 regular season contests, not including the postseason where he has several all-time records at the position.
Kelce has won three Super Bowl rings and earned more than $111 million over his 13 years in professional football.
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