Following his team's latest loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, fans think Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is retiring after the season, following a subtle post-game moment.
A video has surfaced of a deflated Kelce walking to the locker room following the Chiefs' loss to the Chargers. He turned down young fans' requests for a high-five on his way, and as he walked into the locker room, he tapped the wall twice.
and if i said the double tap on the wall was a sign of acceptance then what pic.twitter.com/j5Tw6ocUKb
— katie⸆⸉❤️🔥 (@chloeandoomfs) December 14, 2025
“I wonder if he will retire like Jason [Kelce] did when the Eagles didn't make the playoffs last year,” a fan commented before turning it into a Taylor Swift reference. “Because it would mean it was 13 years each in the NFL.”
Another fan pondered the chances that Kelce retires after the season, especially given the longevity of his playing career. He has played 13 years in the NFL, and he played for years before that in his childhood and in college.
“He's 36, which isn't old by most standards[,] but he's been playing football since he was a teenager if not [before] that,” they wrote, “that's a long time[,] especially when you consider the high level of football he's played for 13 [years]. I'm not saying he will retire[,] but the likelihood is high.”
Will Chiefs TE Travis Kelce retire after the season?
It has been an up-and-down ride in 2025 for Kelce and the Chiefs. For the first time since Patrick Mahomes took the reins in 2018, they will miss the playoffs.
After losing Super Bowl 59 to the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce contemplated retirement. However, he decided to come back for at least one more season.
So far, he has 67 catches for 797 yards and five touchdowns. While there are still a few games to go, this is a better season than he had in 2024.
The Chiefs dropped their third straight game, this time to the Chargers, in Week 15. Kelce caught seven passes for 70 yards, his highest output since their loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 11.
