The Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 last year, and it could be the end of an era. Travis Kelce is available in NFL free agency, and recent reports indicate there is no guarantee he returns to Kansas City. If the future Hall-of-Fame tight end leaves Kansas City, the Philadelphia Eagles are among the four best options.
The NFL free agency tampering period opens on Monday, which could bring the end of Kelce in Kansas City. He was drafted with Andy Reid as the head coach and helped win three Super Bowls in Missouri. If he returns to KC for one more season, no one will be surprised. But with Patrick Mahomes rehabbing an ACL injury, leaving for a chance at a fourth ring could entice him.
Where could Kelce go if he leaves the Chiefs?
It all comes full circle with the Philadelphia Eagles
Two little-known facts about Travis Kelce come into play when discussing his potential future in Philadelphia. First, he is engaged to Taylor Swift, who is from Pennsylvania and grew up a Birds fan. Second, his brother Jason is an Eagles legend who retired after the 2023 season. On the field, Dallas Goedert may leave the Eagles in free agency, and AJ Brown could be traded.
The Eagles also had a disastrous season, losing in the Divisional Round to the San Francisco 49ers. While there are some serious quarterback questions after last year, Philadelphia doesn't seem interested in answering them yet. Signing Kelce to a one-year deal to finish out his career in Philadelphia could help settle down the noise on Nick Sirianni's squad.
The Eagles have the cap space to sign Kelce and have a need at tight end. The pomp and circumstance of bringing another Kelce back to South Philly would just be the cherry on top for this move.
A different homecoming for Travis Kelce
Kelce could go to his fiancée's hometown of Philadelphia or go back to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns may lose David Njoku in free agency, which leaves a hole open for Kelce to fill. And who better to get Shedeur Sanders up to speed in the NFL than one of the greatest security blankets to ever play the game? This would not get Kelce close to a fourth ring, but it would be a popular move in Ohio.
The Browns have bigger priorities than giving a local legend a Hall-of-Fame send-off. But with the team in turmoil once again, could they sign Kelce just to get the good PR across the league? Now, would Kelce actually sign with his hometown club? It is unlikely if his goal is to win another Super Bowl, but maybe he wants a hometown send-off instead.
Welcome to New York
The Chiefs made a change at offensive coordinator this offseason, bringing Eric Bieniemy back to replace Matt Nagy. After interviewing for the Tennessee Titans' head coaching role, Nagy landed with the New York Giants as the offensive coordinator. Nagy's goal for this year is to keep Jaxson Dart healthy, and Kelce could help with that in a big way.
The Giants have two young tight ends, Theo Johnson and Thomas Fidone II, under contract. That should not stop them from bringing in Kelce, who could serve as a de facto tight ends coach in addition to his role on the field. Installing an offense is a process in the NFL, especially with a young quarterback. Kelce can help all around and finish out his career in the Big Apple.
Never count out the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are never ones to shy away from a storyline. Whichever team brings in Kelce will bring a media firestorm along with them, mostly thanks to Swift's presence in the luxury box. Jerry Jones couldn't figure out how to keep Micah Parsons, but he can win back some goodwill by bringing in Kelce. This may not make sense on the field, but that hasn't stopped Dallas before.
The Cowboys have Jake Ferguson, who had a historic first half of the 2025 season before taking a step back later in the campaign. Building the connection between Dak Prescott and Ferguson should be the priority for the tight-end position in 2026. But bringing in Kelce would be a talked-about move, which means Jones will consider it.
