After months of speculation, Travis Kelce is returning for his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs, per multiple reports.
Kelce, 36, proved age is just a number during his resurgent season last year, leading the team with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns.
While he’s done enough in his career to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, makes hundreds of millions of dollars from ventures off the field, and he’s preparing to marry his superstar fiancée, Taylor Swift, Kelce is simply not ready to walk away from the game he loves so much.
GettyTravis Kelce has Taylor Swift’s support as he returns for his 14th season in the NFL.
Some analysts thought Kelce would hang up his cleats for good as he prepared to get married and settle down. However, ESPN’s Pat McAfee believes the opposite is true when you’re tying the knot with a powerhouse like Swift.
Taylor Swift’s Work Ethic Inspired Travis Kelce to Play One More Season
McAfee mentioned how he had a feeling Kelce planned to return when he gushed over Eric Bieniemy returning to the team as offensive coordinator.
“He has not said anything to confirm these sources, but I believe his relationship with Taylor Swift is only going to make him better. For the long haul.”
“His career’s already certified… Travis Kelce should be in the conversation of the greatest tight end of all time.” And he’s set up for life financially “regardless of who he is dating,” McAfee noted.
“But I think he sees Taylor kill it… continue to kinda grow, continue to strive, continue to try and get better. And I think they work together off of that…. a beautiful kindred spirit that can motivate each other.
“When two greats are good together, it’s good for society. It’s certainly good for the Chiefs… I’m pumped for it man.”
Swift is famous for her work ethic. While traveling the world during her record-breaking “Eras Tour,” she released her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” while writing her next album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which dropped in October. She also produced and directed music video for both album’s singles.
Travis Kelce Said Taylor Swift ‘Fully’ Encourages Him to Keep Playing
GettyTaylor Swift and his future bride, Travis Kelce.
Amid retirement rumors last year, Kelce made it clear that Swift was not putting any pressure on him to retire.
“She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game,” Kelce told Stephen A. Smith on his eponymous show in January. “She loves coming to Arrowhead and coming to the games and cheering for me, so I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams.
“Personally, I think that’s the beauty of being in a very strong relationship, is that you get that support to be able to come in and focus on your craft,” he continued. “Focus on being the best version of you.”
The 14-time Grammy winner shared a similar sentiment in her “Taylor Swift: End of Era” docuseries. “It’s shocking how many similarities we have towards our jobs and how we view them and how we view each other,” she said.
“We both have jobs where we both go out in NFL stadiums and we entertain people for three and a half hours. His with considerably more violence than mine, but he’s not in heels. But it’s our passion. We’ve been chasing this since we were little kids.”
I don’t think I ever thought I’d meet a guy who had that same trajectory. And I’ve realized with this person in my life that just was the right fit for me, you can have the two passions coexist and they actually fuel each other. Ultimately, we love cheering each other on. That’s rad.”
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