The Kansas City Chiefs were uncertain if Travis Kelce would return for another season after rumors that he would hang up the jersey after last year. Those rumors were shut down after it was announced Kelce would most likely return, but then questions came up on whether he would be playing with another team.
Kelce once again shut down the rumors, and he will officially be returning to the Chiefs for another season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
“Back for more: Chiefs future Hall of Fame TE Travis Kelce is expected to return to Kansas City for a 14th season, a message that’s been delivered to teams who will want him. At 36, Kelce’s play was at its usual level, landing him in the Pro Bowl. He’s loyal to KC & will stay,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
There was a thought that the Chiefs wouldn't have the cap space to re-sign Kelce. A big reason they traded Trent McDuffie was to save space, and with Kelce wanting a respectable deal, things were looking cloudy on whether he'd return to where he's played his entire career.
General manager Brett Veach spoke at the NFL Combine about the possibility of bringing Kelce back, and he noted that they were taking things slow this time around, according to The Athletic.
“We’ve kind of prepared for either scenario (retire or come back),” Veach said. “Coach (Andy Reid) mentioned on Friday he’d had great dialogue with Travis on our end. Myself, (assistant general manager) Chris Shea, Travis’ crew, we’ve had some good dialogue there, and I’m sure we’re going to see him here, along with all the other players’ agents. And we’ll continue that dialogue.”
At the end of the day, Kelce prioritized his loyalty to the Chiefs over money, and he'll be looking to help the team bounce back from a season where they missed the playoffs.
