It’s been a strangely quiet year by Travis Kelce’s standards. A season that would be considered solid for most tight ends has felt underwhelming by his measure, and the retirement questions have followed. But in all the discussion about his decline, something important tends to get lost: what he means to the locker room. And center Creed Humphrey gave us a little reminder.

“Aside from being the elite talent he is on the field, he’s also just a great human being,” the center said. “If you’re having trouble, he can help you fix things. He’s someone who’s easy to talk to, someone who makes you feel comfortable as soon as you walk into the building. So he’s awesome to be around…awesome to have as a teammate, and yeah, it’s been great.”

He is part of what’s sustained the Kansas City Chiefs for so long. Since Andy Reid arrived, winning has become the expectation. Before 2025, Kansas City missed the playoffs just once: a 9–7 season in 2014. Cultures like that don’t build themselves, and Humphrey made it clear that Kelce played a role in shaping it.

That’s why the idea of Kelce leaving feels bigger than football production. Kelce and Patrick Mahomes are the heartbeat of this team. Not just because of what they do between the lines, but because of the way they carry themselves every single day. Humphrey talked about that too earlier.

“They’re awesome,” the 26-year-old said. “As good of football players as they are, they’re just as good human beings. Being able to be around them and become close with them, it’s been awesome.” Humphrey further added that both athletes are “always bringing great energy” to the locker room. And despite any situation, they have “great vibes throughout the day.”

That stuff counts in an NFL locker room. Leadership isn’t always loud, and it isn’t always tied to stats. Sometimes it’s in the small gestures, too. Kelce and Mahomes recently gifted teammates packages reportedly worth around $1 million, complete with Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton items, and fine Italian wine.

These little things matter. And it’ll be greatly missed if Kelce departs. That brings us to the question: Is the tight end really leaving?

Travis Kelce’s retirement stance

Travis Kelce has been consistent whenever the retirement noise gets louder. Finish the season the right way and worry about the rest later. And based on his own words, the decision still hasn’t been made.

“I think I’m still searching for those answers,” Kelce said. “Obviously, the way this one ended with a sour taste in my mouth. I feel motivated but I’ve got to make the right decision for me. I gotta hope that if I do wanna come back that the Chiefs are willing to bring me back. It’s a two-way street on that.”

Of course, a decision like this isn’t made in a vacuum. It means conversations with family, with Taylor Swift, and with the organization. Still, if you watched his final game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Denver Broncos, it didn’t feel like just another typical night.

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Kelce was the last player introduced on Thursday. He came out of the tunnel, pulled back his familiar bow-and-arrow celebration, then slowed down. He looked around and took it all in. It felt like someone trying to store away a memory, just in case it turned out to be the last one.

He had a chance late to help push the game to overtime, but the drive came up short. When it ended, Kelce didn’t head straight for the tunnel. He stayed on the field, moving from handshake to hug, lingering longer than most. The broadcast kept cutting to Swift and his mother, Donna Kelce, watching from the stands, eyes fixed on him.

What it all adds up to, nobody knows yet. Maybe it was just the weight of the loss and the frustration of how the season ended. Maybe it was something more. Either way, the answer will come soon enough.