By his lofty requirements, the 2024 season has been a down yr for Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce.
This yr Kelce caught 97 passes for 823 yards, his lowest yardage output of his profession except for his one-game stint in 2013, and simply three touchdowns. Whereas he hauled in 7 passes for 117 yards and a landing in Kansas Metropolis’s win over the Houston Texans within the AFC Divisional Spherical, Kelce was fairly quiet within the AFC Championship Sport, catching only a pair of passes for 19 yards towards the Buffalo Payments.
This dip in manufacturing, coupled with Kelce’s rising resume away from the sphere, has opened the door to hypothesis concerning the tight finish strolling away from the sport after Tremendous Bowl LIX.
Nevertheless, addressing the media throughout Tremendous Bowl Opening Night time, Kelce poured some chilly water on that hypothesis, whereas admitting that the considered retirement has crossed his thoughts.
“The place will I be in three years? Hopefully nonetheless taking part in soccer,” Kelce mentioned throughout Opening Night time.
“I really like doing this. I really like coming into work day-after-day. I really feel like I nonetheless received loads of good soccer left in me,” added the Chiefs tight finish. “We’ll see what occurs. I do know I’ve been setting myself up for different alternatives in my life. That’s all the time been the purpose, figuring out that soccer solely lasts for thus lengthy. You’ve received to discover a method to get into one other profession, one other occupation. I’ve been doing that in my offseasons. However for probably the most half, I’m planning on being a Kansas Metropolis Chief and taking part in soccer.”
Describing Kelce’s actions away from the sphere as “different alternatives” sells his efforts brief. This previous offseason Kelce landed his first main performing position, staring within the FX horror collection Grotesquerie alongside Niecy Nash-Betts and Courtney B. Vance. Kelce has additionally hosted Saturday Night time Reside, is the host of a brand new sport present on Amazon Prime Video titled Are You Smarter than a Movie star?, and the podcast New Heights that he co-hosts along with his brother Jason stays probably the most standard sports activities podcasts on the planet.
These endeavors have paved the way in which for an fulfilling, and doubtlessly profitable, life away from the soccer discipline.
Talking Monday night time, Kelce conceded that he has considered retirement, however nonetheless loves what he does in Kansas Metropolis.
“I’ve considered it, however I nonetheless love what I do,” Kelce mentioned Monday night time. “It’s moments like these, weeks like these, the month that we simply had within the playoffs that make me really feel like I may play this sport endlessly. I believe I nonetheless received loads of soccer left in me. I believe this yr has been probably the most particular years of my life.
“I believe it’s gonna proceed to make me wish to do extra within the soccer world.”
Replace (Saturday night time): Nevertheless, others should not certain that Kelce shall be coming again for subsequent season, not to mention taking part in one other three years within the league. In a narrative launched on Saturday night time on the eve of Tremendous Bowl LIX, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community reported that based on sources “Kelce nonetheless hasn’t made up his thoughts about whether or not or not he’ll play in 2025.”
Moreover, Rapoport posits that Sunday night time’s sport may issue into his resolution. “Sources knowledgeable of his considering say Kelce’s resolution may hinge on the outcomes of Sunday’s sport towards the Philadelphia Eagles,” wrote Rapoport on Saturday night time.