Travis Kelce is ready to rock again in 2025, and the star tight end is gearing up for another round with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce, 35, was going back and forth on retirement for a while, but he’s solidly in for another season, although his time with the Chiefs could look different this time around.
A new report from Fox Sports gives some insight into what Kelce’s upcoming season with the Chiefs could look like and what execs are looking at for the future.
Kansas City Chiefs and Travis Kelce Going Forward
In a feature published Thursday, February 27, NFL expert and analyst Henry McKenna discusses Kelce and his future with the Chiefs.
While Kelce’s numbers took a dip in 2024, they’re still impressive. Following seven seasons in a row with at least 1,000 receiving yards, Kelce had below 1,000 receiving yards in 2024. In the 2022 season, he caught 110 passes for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns, and during 2023 season, he snagged 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns. In 2024, he caught 97 passes for 823 yards and three scores, so while his numbers are down, he’s certainly not out.
In the Fox Sports piece, McKenna reports that an AFC executive told him regarding Kelce that, “Definitely, time has taken its toll. Doesn’t run really well anymore. [You] rarely just see him get open within the design of the play, but he has the special connection with the QB [Patrick Mahomes] to uncover when … breaks down.” Those aren’t the most flattering words.
McKenna points out that Kelce is getting up there in age, for a NFL football player, and that’s why the Chiefs drafted receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy in the top two rounds of the NFL Draft the past two years, as well as tight end Jared Wiley in the fourth round. It’s also why they inked receiver Hollywood Brown and traded for wideout DeAndre Hopkins.
“It was clear in training camp (during the sessions I saw) that the Chiefs were giving Kelce a reduced workload during practices,” McKenna added. “He wasn’t participating heavily — even when the top offensive unit was on the field.
‘Limiting’ Travis Kelce’s Workload in 2025
“In 2025, the Chiefs will continue to reduce Kelce’s importance in the offense by emphasizing their receiving corps,” McKenna asserted in the Fox Sports feature, regarding the Chiefs’ plans for Kelce. “That should mean limiting his workload.”
So, the Chiefs are planning to rest Kelce more than ever in 2025. But, he’ll still be there, as McKenna notes, “Now we’ve heard from Kelce that he’s returning. But it’ll look different in 2025.”
Kelce seems determined to make the most of his year, though. Speaking on his “New Heights” podcast last month, he emphasized that he wasn’t making the decision lightly.
“It’s just a tough reality. And, you know, I think I’m going to take some time to figure it out,” Kelce said on the show. “And I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, that it’s going to be something that it’s a wholehearted decision and… I’m fully here for them.”
He added, “I think I could play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
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