Patrick Mahomes is weighing in on teammate Travis Kelce’s future with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” Mahomes, 29, responded when asked his thoughts on whether Kelce, 35, will play another NFL season next year, following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 9.
“He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL, and been such a joy not only for me to work with but [for] people to watch,” the Chiefs QB continued.
According to Mahomes, the Chiefs tight end “knows he’s got a lot of football left in him” should he decide to return to the NFL next season.
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“But it’s if he wants to put in that grind,” Mahomes questioned. “It’s a grind to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.”
Mahomes praised his teammate as being a “first-ballot Hall of Famer” and added, “He’s done enough to be a gold jacket guy.”
“I know he still has love for the game,” Mahomes continued. “He’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own, but he knows he’ll come back here with open arms.”
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Mahomes, Kelce and the Chiefs suffered a stinging defeat against the Eagles during Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22, thwarting the Chiefs’ chance to win a third consecutive Super Bowl.
There has been much speculation about Kelce’s NFL future amid his burgeoning public profile, including his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift, who attended Sunday’s game.
In 2024, Kelce made his acting debut in Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie and fronted Prime Video’s game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?
During a January appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Kelce denied that he’s ready to retire at girlfriend Swift’s insistence.
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“She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game,” Kelce said. “She loves coming to Arrowhead [Stadium] and coming to the games and cheering for me, so I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams.”
Kelce expressed disappointment while speaking to reporters following Sunday’s loss. “We haven’t played that bad all year,” Kelce told reporters inside the Chiefs’ locker room. “[We] just couldn’t find that spark, couldn’t find that momentum,” he added.
