Reports indicate that Travis Kelce could return for one more season with the Kansas City Chiefs. But the buzz right now isn’t really about his return. Instead, the attention has shifted toward what his plans might look like once he finally calls it a career after the 2026 season. And according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Kelce could draw significant interest for a future television role.

“From a media perspective, he (Kelce) has it all: Charisma; hit podcast, and three Super Bowl rings,” McCarthy wrote. “Two years ago, his brother Jason Kelce was the most sought-after free agent, breaking bread in Las Vegas with virtually every network during Super Bowl week before joining ESPN. Look for the same feeding frenzy if the 36-year old Chiefs star retires.”

Kelce is one of several high-profile football names who could soon enter the television free-agent market. Other potential candidates include figures like Mike Tomlin, Kirk Cousins, and Joe Flacco.

For now, though, nothing is concrete about whether Kelce will actually pursue a broadcasting role once his playing days are over. What the current reports do suggest is that if Kelce returns for one more season, the 2026 campaign could realistically be his last.

In that case, a potential move into broadcasting could arrive as early as 2027. And if that happens, it’ll mirror the path his brother Jason took after retiring from the league. And when you look at Kelce’s profile, it’s not difficult to see why networks might be interested.

Jason Kelce himself attracted significant attention from networks immediately after stepping away from football. And Travis has already built a strong presence outside the game.

Between his popular New Heights podcast and his widely discussed relationship with Taylor Swift, Kelce has become one of the NFL’s most recognizable personalities beyond the field.

That naturally raises another question: if Kelce does retire in 2027, where could he actually land? McCarthy suggests Kelce will face a feeding frenzy from the NFL media.

But a little over a week ago, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported that Amazon Prime Video could potentially consider Kelce for its Thursday Night Football coverage as Kirk Herbstreit’s replacement.

“If Prime Video moves on from Herbstreit, it could look at the well-respected Greg Olsen of Fox and [J.J.] Watt, but the wild cards are Kelce and Sean McVay,” he wrote.

Marchand’s report was part of a broader projection about how the NFL media landscape could soon see another major reshuffling, similar to what happened in 2022.

That year saw several massive broadcasting moves. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left FOX for ESPN in a five-year deal worth a combined $165 million. Tom Brady signed a $375 million broadcasting contract with FOX. CBS had already locked in Tony Romo for $180 million. Meanwhile, Al Michaels moved to Amazon to headline TNF.

But the situation could soon shift again. Michaels, now 81, may not remain in the role forever, and Herbstreit’s Prime Video contract currently runs through the 2026 season. That could eventually leave Amazon looking for a new face to help anchor its Thursday night broadcasts.

Historically, those analyst roles have often gone to either former players with strong personalities or experienced broadcasters with established on-air credentials. In that scenario, Kelce could fit the profile rather well.

Of course, for now, all of this remains speculation. Any move into broadcasting will ultimately depend on Kelce himself. But at the moment, the conversation around the Chiefs’ tight end seems to be focusing less on whether he’ll return for the 2026 season and more on what might come after his playing career finally comes to an end.

Travis Kelce could play one more season before pivoting to a different gig

The Chiefs have been in the middle of a significant roster restructure this offseason. The franchise has already parted ways with Jawaan Taylor and Mike Danna. But the most notable move came when the team traded All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.

As those changes unfolded, some began to wonder whether the roster turnover could influence Travis Kelce’s long-term plans, particularly when it comes to retirement. However, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN, Kelce isn’t leaning toward stepping away just yet.

“He’s coming back, guys,” Taylor said. “Every indication I’ve gotten is that Travis Kelce is looking forward to coming back. When we’ll know that for sure? That’s really his prerogative. They might give him — and I’ve said this before — maybe a two-year deal where you can spread some of that money out and give a pretty nice chunk of signing bonus to get that base salary to be manageable in 2026.

“And, hey, if you’ve got to eat it in 2027 if he retires, you go ahead and eat it. He’s given you everything you could have asked for already.”

Kelce’s contract with Kansas City expired following the 2025 season, which also happened to be the franchise’s toughest year in more than a decade. Now the focus shifts to what happens next.

With free agency approaching, Kelce is widely expected to sign a new deal with the Chiefs. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen, but Taylor has been clear about one thing: he believes Kelce will ultimately return and continue his run in Kansas City.