It seems as though Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce has been in the headlines more for his personal life this year than he has for any on-field accomplishments. There have been rumors floating that the all-time great has been contemplating hanging up the cleats at some point in the near future, that he was coming up on the end of his illustrious career faster than anyone had thought.
Travis Kelce Wants To Keep Playing Football
Travis Kelce on the possibility of retirement at this point in his 11-year career: “I have no reason to not (keep playing) football. I love it. I love the challenge it gives me every day. … I have no desire to stop anytime soon.”
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) January 11, 2024
But according to Kelce himself, he wants to continue playing football, for now.
During a press conference ahead of their upcoming wild card game, Kelce was asked about the possibility of retirement:
I have no reason to not (keep playing) football. I love it. I love the challenge that it gives me every day…I have no desire to stop any time soon.
The speculation that Travis Kelce might call it quits certainly stems from the thought that he may be concentrating too much of his energy on things other than football. There is of course the highly publicized relationship with Taylor Swift, which Kelce would say hasn’t been a distraction. But the fame that has stemmed from it has resulted in a bigger celebrity, as he is now in more commercials than ever and runs one of the most popular podcasts that there is at the moment.
First Sub-1,000 Yard Season For Kelce Since 2015
This will put to rest all the rumors that Travis Kelce is going to retire after this season. pic.twitter.com/aEq1uz3ddb
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) January 11, 2024
It would be easy to point to the “distractions” as a reason for his slight dip in production in 2023. But Kelce is 34 years old and has been playing at a high level for many years, and his first sub-1,000 yard season since 2015 could simply be due to the aging process and the Chiefs not maintaining their dominance in the AFC.
The ride isn’t over yet. The Chiefs are the #3 seed for the upcoming playoffs, and will take on the Miami Dolphins this Saturday night in what could be one of the coldest games in the history of the NFL. While he has made it clear that he intends to return to play next season, there is the off-chance that this could be the final game that Travis Kelce plays inside Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City is currently listed as a 4-point favorite.
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