Travis Kelce isn’t ruling out playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 and says he’ll make his decision by early March.
The 36-year-old tight end is in the final year of his contract and last week broke the franchise record for touchdowns with 84.
Kelce has spent the last 13 years with the Chiefs and has made it clear he wants to give them ample time to find a replacement if he leaves – pledging to let them know before NFL free agency begins.
“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity whether I come back or not — or whether they want me to come back or not,” Kelce said. “I would like to make this decision before they have to secure draft picks and open free agency to fill out the roster appropriately.
“All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t think about it until then.”
Despite his veteran status, Kelce remains the primary threat in the Chiefs offense. He leads the team this season in targets (66), receptions (50), yards (631) and touchdowns (four).
“I think what you see is that I am a product of my environment right now,” Kelce added. “It’s all about how the offensive line works and how the guys around us behave and obviously the chemistry between me and me. [Patrick Mahomes] may have accumulated over the years.
Kelce has work to do this season
Kelce will need to stay in tip-top shape if the Chiefs want to secure a playoff spot.
They are currently out of the playoff spots with a 5-5 record heading into this weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Kelce said: “I just think the chemistry, how together we are and how willing we are to fight for each other, it’s not about effort.
“It’s just execution. We’re out here every day working hard to try to fix this. You feel it from the coaches. They’re tightening things up a little bit for us to focus on those details so we can play fast and play with purpose.”
