For the first time in over a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs‘ season ended without a playoff berth. Now, the aftershocks are threatening the future of their franchise icon, Travis Kelce. As speculations about his potential retirement reached a fever pitch, head coach Andy Reid was forced to address the elephant in the room.

“Right now, we’re not only finishing the season, but you got a little bit of time before all that stuff really needs to take place,” Reid said. “Travis can still play, and I’m not questioning that part or any of it, so I’m not trying to avoid your question. I just know there’s time.”

The speculations of Kelce’s retirement started circulating after last season itself. However, he returned to mend the team’s Super Bowl LIX heartbreak. But while he had a decent individual year, showing he can certainly still put up big numbers, Kansas City’s late-season struggles in 2025 and an early playoff exit have now intensified the questions.

After completing the final year of his contract, Kelce mentioned that he needed time to assess the physical toll of 13 NFL seasons. It is a certainty, though, that Reid will be hearing about Kelce’s final call before the team needs to make decisions on next year’s roster in February.

“I’ve got so much love for this team, this organization, and the people here, so I’ll spend some time with them, go through exit meetings tomorrow, and get close to the family and figure things out,” Kelce said after the team’s season finale loss at Las Vegas.

Reid had previously mentioned that the two had not talked about the looming question and would get to it when the time is right. But Kelce might return to KC next season for some reasons. The biggest one of all would be the fact that the team never had a good output this season, even in their six wins. He would certainly want to have a good outing, especially with his quarterback and friend, Patrick Mahomes, before he hangs his cleats for good.

Moreover, it seems like his teammates, including defensive tackle Chris Jones, are not at all ready to consider the chances of Kelce’s retirement. “I can’t promise you anything about another man, but this year was a tricky year for us. I got faith in my dog coming back,” Jones had said after the season finale.

The Chiefs finished with a 6-11 losing record and were plagued by injuries, including franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who endured a season-ending knee injury in Week 15. However, despite the troubles, Kelce posted notable results, including 851 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in all.

In Week 18, Travis also became the fastest tight end in history to reach 13,000 receiving yards in 192 games. Not just that, but he also has more than 75+ receptions in 10 straight seasons, tying with Tim Brown of the Raiders for the longest streak in NFL history.

While both Kelce and Andy Reid confirmed that there’s still enough time for him to make a final decision, many believe that retirement wouldn’t just be the end of his career. Per analysts, an exciting opportunity could be on the table for the Chiefs’ star.

Insider predicts a massive $20 million fortune waiting for Travis Kelce

The reports of Travis Kelce’s retirement might have disappointed the fans, but it seems like the insider world sees it as a homecoming for new opportunities. After several sources assumed the ongoing season to be the last in his career, The Athletic’s sports media insider, Andrew Marchand, said that there could be offers of a television media role for the legendary tight end. According to him, the fact that Kelce has built a name for himself and is getting married to Taylor Swift are two strong factors that fuel his prediction.

“He’s a guy who is only going to take a number one job,” Marchand said. “To me, he’s going to get anywhere from 10 to 20 million, because he’s Travis Kelce. I think when you do a list five years ago, 10 years ago, Kelce is on that list. Now, uh, he’s getting married to someone that makes him even bigger.”

Not to mention, he already has the New Heights podcast with his brother and former NFL star Jason Kelce, which is doing quite well. So while Kelce may be on the verge of ending his on-field journey, there’s certainly more beyond the NFL that he can look forward to in the near future. It may very well turn out to be an entertainment project, or maybe he doesn’t retire altogether and continues to hsi journey of one of the greatest TEs in NFL history.

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