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Travis Kelce is looking forward to “being a regular human” this offseason as questions swirl about his NFL future.
“Every season ends for me, I just put my feet up and I be a human, because I’ve been putting my body through the wringer for the love of it,” Travis, 36, said on the Wednesday, January 7, episode of his “New Heights” podcast with brother Jason Kelce.
Travis continued, “I do enjoy playing football and the physical aspect of it, I think there’s something about feeling the wear and tear of the football season, just getting ready for a game knowing your body’s f***ing beat down. I think there’s something to it, it makes you just feel like a mangy animal that’s out here just finding a way to survive.”
Along with enjoying his downtime, Travis has a big decision to make this offseason. “[I’ll be] trying to figure out what I’m gonna do next in terms of my future in football,” he said. “I’ve talked to a few people in the facility already, having the exit meetings and everything, they know where I stand, at least right now. There’s a lot of love for the game that’s still there, and I don’t think I’ll ever lose that.”
When it comes to his next steps, Travis admitted, “It’s a tough thing to navigate, but at the same time, I think if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat. I think right now it’s just finding that answer and seeing how the body feels after this game and when it all settles down.”
The Kansas City Chiefs ended their regular season with a 14-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, January 4, weeks after already being eliminated from playoff contention. Immediately following the game, Travis hinted at a possible timeline for considering retirement.
“First things first, I just love this team,” he said in a video shared by Kansas City Star reporter Sam McDowell via X on Sunday, noting that he felt “proud of the way we finished the season even though it ended the way it did.”
Weeks prior, the Chiefs suffered a major setback when quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. The team announced in December 2025 that Mahomes, 30, “successfully underwent surgery.”
Travis noted on Wednesday that “it was a tough season” for the Chiefs, especially due to Mahomes’ injury. His love for the sport, however, hasn’t changed.
“I’m still a fan of the game and I still love the game, so I’ll be tuned in throughout the playoffs seeing how this thing shakes out over the next couple weeks,” he told Jason, 38. “And I get to be around some friends and family in January instead of figuring out how to win some playoff games.”
Speculation previously arose that Travis might bow out of the NFL after the Chiefs lost the 2025 Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles, though he eventually returned for his 13th season with the Chiefs.
Travis explained after Sunday’s game that he “knew right away” he wanted to show up for another season after last year’s Super Bowl disappointment. As for next year? “We’ll see,” he said. “Who knows? Either it hits me quick or I gotta take some time.”
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is weighing in on Travis Kelce’s potential retirement following a disappointing 2025-2026 NFL season. “I hope not, man,” said Jones about Kelce’s possible exit in a postgame interview after the Chiefs’ 20-13 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday, December 25. “We have just been through so much […]
Throughout the season, fans and analysts have shared candid thoughts on Travis’ performance on the field. He previously addressed the Chiefs’ tough season during a December 2025 episode of “New Heights” as the team missed out on a chance at the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
“There’s only one way I do things, there’s only one way Coach [Andy] Reid does things, and if we’re gonna go out there and play some football, we’re gonna do it the right way and keep trying to get these things fixed and end on the highest note we can,” he said at the time.
Travis pointed out that losing is “unfamiliar territory” for some of his younger teammates.
“There’s an integrity thing here that when you sign up for the gig, you’re living out your dreams, you’re living out a kid’s dream that never got a chance to do this. … It’s an honor to be out there, it’s an honor to feel the soreness after a game because you were actually out there. You’re f***ing doing it,” Travis continued. “And no matter if you’re getting the f***ing ball thrown to you, no matter if you’re blocking your tail off … it’s an honor to be out there in a uniform, playing for the guys around you, playing for your family, playing for the people back home that are watching you, that have known you since you were a little kid dreaming about this moment.”
Without directly addressing his NFL future, Travis added, “I’ll you what, man, if there’s a game to be had, I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna love f***ing playing in it. … That’s the integrity you gotta go out there with.”
