Let’s face it, if Travis Kelce retired tomorrow, he could still moonwalk into Canton. Three rings, an MVP-worthy bromance with Patrick Mahomes, the most watched sports podcast, and, of course, a cultural takeover with SNL and Taylor Swift. In cleats, the man is already an empire. But there’s something about getting ‘beat down’ in the Super Bowl, and it’s keeping No. 87 up at night… and in pads. “I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended last year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me.” 

You compare that to another goated TE, Trav’s compared to, Rob Gronkowski. He ended his career in 2022. A year after he lifted his 4th, and ‘the one’ in Tampa alongside Tom Brady. So, obviously, Kelce sees that and doesn’t want to go out with a bad taste like he said. And that’s where year 13 comes in. One final attempt to revise the last chapter. “I’m only interested in Super Bowl rings,” he said now in June, ahead of the camp. He refuses to admit his retirement tour, just yet. There’s a score to settle.

Reacting to that ‘Super Bowl rings’ clip, Stephen A. Smith laid out a perfect retirement route for Travis. And he did that with the kind of theatrical rage that only he is capable of evoking. Smith doubled down on First Take as he said, “Well, I love it, because this is a three-time Super Bowl champion. This is one of the greatest tight ends in the history of football.” But then he revealed the bits from his one-on-one with Kelce, saying, “He [Kelce] was talking [to me] about how there were days where he looked at himself and you know it ain’t what it used to be. But it would have been easy for him to walk away if you had captured a championship. I believe he’s back playing right now because of the a– kicking.”

And Smith might be a little outspoken (that’s his style), but he isn’t wrong. Despite all of Kelce’s accomplishments, the beating they suffered against the Eagles in the Super Bowl is what he remembers most. The final score read: 40-22. What’s worse is that, at the halftime, the scoreboard read: 24-0. So, the Chiefs weren’t even close. They got completely dismantled. No one expected Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to go through that. The 3-peat was up for grabs, until it wasn’t.

A loss like that lingers. That’s why Smith went one step further, pointing out that Kelce would have retired had it not been for the February 9th’s thrashing. “You can’t end your career when you’re as successful as him, with the residue of that. Losses are losses, but not like that,” Smith said. “Those words that he just echoed just personified and reaffirmed why he is the champion that he is.” In interviews, Kelce said that on some days, he didn’t feel like the same player. But now? He’s training like a man possessed. Running lean and with an intent on getting even. But if Smith was the hype man, Andy Reid turned that hype down. 

Andy Reid admits the harsh truth about Travis Kelce’s age

The Big Red subtly revealed a shocking fact that should make Chiefs fans sweat while praising Kelce’s conditioning and work ethic during the offseason: “I know he’s getting older. He doesn’t know he’s getting older, but I do.“ That’s not a passing remark. But Kelce appeared significantly leaner when he arrived at minicamp. He had been exercising in Florida, losing weight, and perfecting his stride.

Although ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler verified that Kelce trained a lot, he rejected the widely circulated rumors that he had shed twenty-five pounds. Still, Reid is already limiting his practice reps, preserving whatever gas is left in the tank. And that tank may not be as full as it once was.

Last season, Kelce played more than 84% of the snaps—still an excellent usage rate—but his numbers declined. It was a career low of 823 yards. The Super Bowl, four catches for 39 yards? That’s not the Kelce we know. And Reid knows it, too. The Chiefs HC hinted about snap count management this season when he remarked, “If I think it’s catching up to him. I’ll pull off…he hasn’t yet shown me any of that yet.”

So, don’t worry. They are keeping a tight eye on the tight end. Let’s just say that everyone in Kansas City knows that Kelce is playing on borrowed time. Aside from Kelce himself. Stats are not what the man is after. He’s trying to find closure. Don’t expect him to hang up the cleats anytime soon until he receives it.