KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Kelce, one of the NFL’s most illustrious tight ends and a three-time champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to return for his 14th season with the team, according to NFL Network.
Even at age 36, Kelce still led the Chiefs last season in targets (108), receptions (76), yards (851), touchdowns (5) and receiving first downs (45).
In early January, when the Chiefs’ season ended, Kelce said he was uncertain about his future in the NFL. But he did vow to make a decision by early March ahead of the NFL’s free agency period.
“I just love this team,” Kelce said last month after the Chiefs’ season finale. “I’m proud of the way we finished this, even though it ended the way it did. The guys still showed up and gave it their all. That’s all you can ask for, man. “I’ve got so much love for this team, this organization and the people here.”
Before last season, Kelce rededicated himself by having training sessions that were designed to improve his quickness and recapture some of the speed and agility he lost during the previous two years. The improved athleticism led Kelce to once again create yards after the catch, leading the Chiefs in that category (424). He finished last season by becoming the third tight end in NFL history to record at least 13,000 receiving yards, doing so in just 192 games, the fastest to such an achievement. Kelce also became the second player in league history to record 75 receptions for 10 consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown.
Kelce’s fame has grown outside the football field in recent years thanks to his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift, his acting roles and the “New Heights” podcast he co-hosts each week with his brother, Jason Kelce.
On Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos, Chiefs fans inside Arrowhead Stadium — unsure if that night was going to be Kelce’s final home game — chanted “KEL-CE! KEL-CE, KEL-CE!” in the final minutes to express their gratitude and appreciation for one the franchise’s greatest players.
The Chiefs originally selected Kelce with the 63rd pick in the 2013 NFL draft, joining the team the same year as coach Andy Reid.
Leave a Reply