Is Travis Kelce retiring? Did he play his final home game at Arrowhead last week? These were the questions that took rounds of the internet ever since the Kansas City Chiefs lost their Week 17 matchup to the Denver Broncos and got kicked out of the playoff race.

There’s a growing belief that Kelce may have already played his final game at Arrowhead and could be preparing for his last NFL appearance in the regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders. But not everyone connected to the Chiefs is buying into that idea, especially former Kansas City tight end Jason Dunn. Speaking on Chiefs Concerns, Dunn pushed back on the retirement narrative, explaining why he doesn’t believe this is the end for Kelce, stating:

“I don’t believe this is (Travis) Kelce’s last game. I don’t. And the way that he approached it and speaking to TG (Tony Gonzalez), I just seen that glimmer in his eye that it wasn’t over. It didn’t sound like a guy that was ready to put up his cleats. It sounded more like a guy that there was still unfinished business out there, and it didn’t get to end the way he wanted it to end.”

The idea of unfinished business keeps resurfacing. For the first time in a decade, Kelce will miss the postseason after a season that went completely off script for Kansas City. With just one game left, his age creeping up, and a noticeable dip in production, retirement naturally feels like it’s on the table, even if it’s not a done deal.

Even Ian Rapoport acknowledged the uncertainty, reporting earlier this week that it’s “certainly is a possibility that Travis Kelce played his last game at Arrowhead this past week. He’s gonna take some time after the season is over to consider his fate and see what he wants to do, whether or not he wants to play a 14th season.”

That pause only fuels the speculation. And yet, Dunn’s perspective adds an important wrinkle, especially after watching Kelce’s interaction with Tony Gonzalez. During that conversation, Kelce didn’t sound like someone ready to walk away. If anything, he sounded frustrated, more with himself than anything else.

“It’s frustrating, man. It’s frustrating,” he said after the Christmas game. “I feel like I can’t even look my guy, coach Andy Reid, in his eyes right now, just because I feel like I disappointed or I just let him down in some way, somehow throughout the year.”

Those words carry weight, and Dunn believes that this kind of emotion doesn’t usually come from a player who’s ready to walk away quietly. Statistically, the year wasn’t disastrous. We’re talking about 73 catches, 839 yards, and five touchdowns through 16 weeks. Not vintage Kelce, sure. But far from washed. And when you pair those numbers with how personally he seems to be taking the Chiefs’ failure to reach the postseason, it starts to feel like there’s unfinished business lingering.

We’ve seen this script before.

After Kansas City lost the Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2024 season, Kelce was surrounded by similar retirement chatter. His response back then was emphatic.

“I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try to get into the best shape I’ve been in this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,” Kelce wrote in a text. “Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and with how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

As expected, Travis Kelce returned. Fast forward to now, he is caught in a similar dilemma. The difference this time? The weight of the decision feels heavier. He’s 36. The margin for error is smaller. And the questions aren’t just coming from the outside anymore.

Whether Kelce ultimately leans toward retirement or decides to run it back one more time remains unclear. That answer will come later. After reflection. After distance. And after the season officially closes. What is clear, though, is this: Kelce is expected to suit up for the regular-season finale against the Raiders.

Andy Reid addresses Travis Kelce’s status for the regular season finale

Whether Travis Kelce ends up playing his final NFL game against the Raiders is a discussion for another time. For now, one thing is clear: he’ll be on the field for the regular-season finale. The Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid, confirmed as much when asked about Kelce’s status for Sunday’s matchup against Vegas. Reid didn’t overthink it. He didn’t dance around it either. His answer was simple: “Yes.”

That confirmation alone puts an end to any short-term speculation. Kelce is playing. Whatever decisions come next can wait. Meanwhile, the HC also took a moment to address his own future with Kansas City, making it clear that he expects to return next season, assuming the organization still wants him around.

“I mean, I think I’m coming back, right? If they’ll have me back, I’ll come back. You never know in this business. That’s a tough one. But I plan on it, yeah.”

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For Reid, this season marked unfamiliar territory. For the first time in a decade, he won’t be coaching in the postseason. Before the playoff elimination, Reid led the Chiefs to 10 straight playoff appearances, nine consecutive AFC West titles, seven straight AFC Championship Game appearances, and five Super Bowl trips in six years. Missing January football isn’t the norm here. It’s the exception.

That résumé is precisely why Reid’s future in Kansas City doesn’t feel like a real question. He’s only in the second year of a five-year, $100 million deal, and there’s little reason to believe the organization would move on after one down season. As for Travis Kelce, the immediate answer is simple. He’ll suit up against the Raiders. What happens beyond that? That we shall see.