Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes won three Super Bowls together on the Kansas City Chiefs, but they may have played their final snap together in the NFL.
Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention. Mahomes is looking at a long recovery after suffering a torn ACL, which could keep him out for at least the start of next season.
Kelce is facing his own uncertain future, with one NFL insider suggesting he is headed for retirement at the conclusion of the season.
Adam Schefter Hints at Travis Kelce Retirement
In an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, ESPN insider Adam Schefter hinted that Kelce and Mahomes could be done playing together in the NFL. Schefter did not say he had any specific insight, but noted that retirement is a “real possibility” for the future Hall of Fame tight end.
“We’ll see what he ultimately decides at the end of the year,” Schefter said. “I think his future is very much up in the air. I think it’s distinctly possible that one of the greatest NFL connections of all time, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, may have played their last down together, which is hard to imagine, but that’s a real possibility here.”
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra added that this feels like the end of the line for Kelce, who reportedly considered retirement but decided to come back after the disappointment of last season’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. But Kelce could ultimately decide to go out on a stronger note than what will come at the conclusion of his season, Patra added.
“For long stretches this season, Kelce looked like it was the final run,” Patra wrote. “The only way I can see him returning is if his competitive spirit won’t allow him to go out this way. He returned after a Super Bowl loss, determined to prove that’s not how it’d end. Will he go out with his final season missing the postseason and his last target coming from Gardner Minshew?”
Chiefs Facing Plenty of Uncertainty in 2026
The Chiefs will have many other big decisions to make ahead of the 2026 season, including who will play quarterback in the season opener if Mahomes has not healed in time. Minshew joined the team on a one-year contract and could return, but the Chiefs may seek a more accomplished veteran to fill in until Mahomes is ready to return.
Veteran defensive end Chris Jones summed up the season, saying nothing is guaranteed in the NFL.
“Every year is a journey. Success is rented every year,” Jones said after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. “Every year you get to rent success and sometimes it doesn’t go the way you plan for it to go. It’s a learning curve for you guys and especially us. I think we learned a lot this year and we understand the fact that in order to be successful, it’s an everyday thing. It’s not one week you put in and next week, no. It’s a consistent thing and we have a lot of guys coming back and they know that it’s rented every year. Just because last year’s team made the Super Bowl, that doesn’t guarantee success.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Insider Shares Major Update on Travis Kelce Retirement Rumors appeared first on Heavy Sports.