Although the Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) are still dangerous and will be a popular Super Bowl pick if they clinch a Wild Card berth, there is an air of desperation surrounding them entering a Week 12 home game versus the Indianapolis Colts (8-2). That feeling is amplified by the questions hovering above all-time great tight end Travis Kelce. Many fans predict the three-time Super Bowl champion will retire after this season, as he gets set to begin married life with 14-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift.
He has not publicly confirmed such a decision, though. Plenty can change over the course of a season. A disappointing outcome may motivate Kelce to come back for the 2026-27 campaign. The four-time First-Team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler is obviously focused on helping the Chiefs defend their AFC crown and compete for another championship, but when the time does come to address the future, he does not intend to take a long time.
Kelce, who will either enter free agency or ride off into the sunset this year, revealed that he plans to make his decision by early March, per ESPN's Nate Taylor. If the all-time playoffs receptions leader chooses to play at least another year, he will likely return to the Chiefs on another short-term contract. It is almost impossible to envision him elsewhere. Though, if the 36-year-old feels he has nothing left to give football, he will not want to impede KC's offseason activity.
Travis Kelce wants to show the Chiefs the utmost respect
“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not — or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said, per Nate Taylor. “I'd like to make that decision before they've got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately… All that will be at the end of the season. I won't be thinking about it until then.”
Chiefs Kingdom now knows approximately when to expect an official announcement about No. 87's future. Fans will experience plenty of emotions when March approaches, but they are fully invested in the present. Kansas City must bring its best against a Colts squad that is scoring an NFL-leading 32.1 points per game.
Travis Kelce has 50 catches for 631 yards and four touchdowns his season. He has totaled 90 yards and a touchdown in two of his last three games and will look to stay in attack mode for what feels like a must-win matchup.
