Super Bowl LIX was supposed to be historic. The Chiefs were chasing a three-peat, Andy Reid was ready to out-coach the world, and Travis Kelce? Well, we expected him to do what Travis Kelce does… Show up under the brightest lights and torch defenses like a backyard bonfire. But instead? It was a rough night in Vegas, and not the kind that ends with an overpriced buffet and a blurry memory.

Kelce, the guy who usually turns the biggest games into his personal highlight reel, walked off the field at halftime without a single catch. Zero. Zilch. The stat sheet looked like he didn’t even show up, and for the first time in his playoff career, he was a ghost in the first half.

By the end of the game, he only had four catches for 39 yards, and the Eagles ran all over the Chiefs, winning 40-22. Sigh! So, definitely, not how this was supposed to go. But what happened? Drops, miscommunications, and some serious blocking struggles.

Now, looking back at it, Kelce admitted it himself on the New Heights podcast: “I don’t think it was my best outing. I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them.”

And when Kelce, the man who literally is in the HOFer conversations, tarts questioning his own performance, you know it wasn’t just a bad day at the office. It was something bigger. Nonetheless, it’s a reminder for all of us: even the best have off nights.

Good thing? Kelce isn’t making excuses because he knows it is not all sunshines and rainbows. “I feel like I owe the guys that I come into that building with a whole lot more effort and focus,” he said on the podcast. Watching the game back? He had just one thought: “What the f—?”

And now, he’s making it clear—he’s not done. Despite the whispers about retirement, Kelce is coming back for 2025… Yup, run it back vibes! “I f–king love playing the game of football,” he told his brother Jason on their podcast. Maybe the Super Bowl loss stung, but if you think Kelce is going out like that, you haven’t been paying attention.

Travis Kelce and KC will be there… and ready!

Travis Kelce isn’t just talking about coming back—he’s talking about running it back with his guys. “I think we got a young, fun team,” he said. And he’s got his eyes on Rashee Rice, a name that should have defenses sweating in 2025. “We’re gonna get my guy Rashee Rice back,” Kelce said, and if that wasn’t enough?

He threw in another wish: “Hopefully you get my guy Kareem Hunt back. I f–king love that guy.”

Rice was supposed to be Patrick Mahomes’ go-to guy last season. He was on a tear before a brutal knee injury in week 4 shut him down for the year. Surgery, rehab, and months of waiting followed. But now? The Chiefs expect him to be fully healthy, and experts believe he could be a top-10 wide receiver next season. If he picks up where he left off, Kansas City’s passing game just got a whole lot scarier.

But, at the same time, let’s not forget—the Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl without him. Hollywood Brown and Rice never even played together, and by the time Rice went down, he was already leading the team in target rate. His return isn’t just a boost. It’s a game-changer. “At the time of his injury, Rice ranked 12th with 288 receiving yards but also had the fifth-highest target rate (33%) among wide receivers,” Pro Football Network’s Kyle Soppe noted. That’s serious production, and he was just getting started.

So what happens when Rice is back? Well, if history is any indicator, he could be Mahomes’ top target in 2025. With DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown both free agents, the Chiefs’ wide receiver room is wide open. If Rice stays healthy, he’s got a shot at putting up monster numbers. Do the math—he was averaging nearly 100 yards per game. Over a full season? He’d smash the league’s top 10.

Kelce knows what’s coming. “I just know that guys like Pat Mahomes and guys that we have on the defensive side like Chris Jones and George Karloftis, they all know how to have fun doin’ it while being professionals,” he said. And that’s the key. So, if you think the Chiefs are going anywhere? Think again.