Travis Kelce may turn 35 in October, but the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end believes he’s still in the midst of his best football.
The four-time, first-team All-Pro selection and nine-time Pro Bowler told Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach before signing a contract extension in April that he thinks he has at least two more good years left in his career, according to a team source.
This tracks with what Kelce said publicly in June following his extension where he said he’d play “until the wheels fall off.”
“I really can’t put a timeframe on (retirement),” he said in June. “I love coming to work every single day. Obviously, I know there’s opportunities outside of football for me. You have to keep in perspective that I’m still a little kid when I come into this building, man. I know I’m 34 years old, but I have a love to do this right here, in the middle of the heat in June. I love coming to work every single day.”
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Kelce’s new contract made him the highest-paid tight end for the first time in his 11-year career. The new deal is set to pay Kelce $17 million fully guaranteed this year and keeps him with the franchise through at least 2025. His $17.25 million salary in 2025 is mostly guaranteed, according to a league source.
Kelce will open one of those “at least two more good years” Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens in Kansas City in the NFL regular-season opener. The Chiefs are on a quest to win their third consecutive Super Bowl title this season. Kelce has won three Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs already.
Kelce helped lead the Chiefs to their second consecutive Super Bowl victory last season while pacing the team with 93 receptions for 984 yards during the regular season. During the Chiefs’ four-game postseason run, Kelce elevated his performance, generating 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns.
Before Super Bowl LVIII in early February, Kelce reiterated he wasn’t planning to retire, especially with quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the prime of his career.
Kelce also became a household name last season thanks in part to his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift and the podcast “New Heights,”which he hosts with his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. In addition to his celebrity status, Kelce has been one of the NFL’s most productive tight ends. His 907 career receptions and 11,328 career receiving yards rank fourth all time among tight ends.
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(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)