There was a shocking amount of schadenfreude going around the Super Bowl. People were really paying attention to Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes both saying that it would be “awesome” and “a great honor” to play in front of Donald Trump. It was a real “the North Remembers” moment – that was continuously brought up last night, that the Chiefs are playing footsie with Nazis. Add to all of that, Travis has a brand new hairstyle and everyone had jokes about how he was wearing a toupee or he went to Turkey for a hair transplant. I don’t think it was a toupee or plugs – I think he just dyed his hair? He was applying Just For Men to his beard when he should have been practicing. Anyway, after the Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes was asked about Travis and whether Trav will play one more year.
Patrick Mahomes isn’t sure if Travis Kelce will return to the Chiefs next season. Following a disappointing defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 Super Bowl, Mahomes, 29, was asked if he has spoken to Kelce, 35, about whether he will retire from football or return to play another season in the NFL.
Speaking to reporters after the 40-22 loss, Mahomes said he’s going to “let Travis make that decision on his own” after he deserves some well-deserved rest following a long season.
“He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL,” Mahomes said of the superstar tight end. “And he’s been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch.”
The quarterback continued, “And he knows he still has a lot of football left in him,” citing that fans “can see it” because Kelce “always makes plays in the biggest moments.”
But whether or not Kelce returns to the NFL will depend on “if he wants to put in that grind” again to dedicate the time and energy it takes to play pro football, Mahomes explained.
If Kelce were to hang up his cleats, Mahomes said his friend and teammate is already a lock to be a “gold jacket guy” and a “first ballot Hall of Famer” with his three Super Bowl wins. “But I know he still has a love for the game,” Mahomes continued, “and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”
Kelce and Mahomes looked defeated at several moments during the game as the Eagles continued to score, pushing their lead to double digits.
I don’t have any feeling about this either way – I know Kelce is under contract for another year, but if he wants to go, he’ll go and the Chiefs will just have to deal with it. I think Mahomes is correct in this case, that Kelce won’t make a decision right now, right after the loss. He’ll think about it for a few months and talk it over with his family. And maybe Taylor Swift as well. It’s also true that Kelce is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has, what? Three rings.
Photos courtesy of Getty.