Travis Kelce reveals when he will decide on future with Kansas City Chiefs

Heading into the 2025 season, there were questions about whether Travis Kelce would return to the Kansas City Chiefs. Friday, he said he’ll make a decision on his future ahead of free agency.

Kelce, 36, weighed retirement last year before opting to run it back with the Chiefs. He’s in the midst of a bounce-back season, hauling in 50 catches for 631 yards and four touchdowns. For comparison, he had 97 receptions, 823 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 and has not topped 1,000 yards since 2022.

Looking ahead to 2026, though, Kelce said his decision will come in time for both free agency and the NFL Draft. Until then, his focus will be on the task at hand on the field.

“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not – or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said, via ESPN’s Nate Taylor. “I’d like to make that decision before they’ve got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately. All that will be at the end of the season. I won’t be thinking about it until then.”

Why Travis Kelce returned to Chiefs in 2025

As the Chiefs got ready for Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles last season, questions swirled about whether Travis Kelce could walk away. Kansas City was coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, looking to pull off an unprecedented three-peat, and that could’ve been an opportunity to hang it up.

Of course, Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift continued to dominate the headlines off the field – even before the engagement heard ’round the world. But in March, Kelce confirmed he’d be back with the Chiefs and later said it wasn’t that much of a decision.

“I love football,” Kelce said. “I don’t think I really thought about it that much. … I love coming in to work every single day.

“It wasn’t a very tough one for me. I know I’m getting older, but at the same time I still feel like I’ve got a lot I can prove in this league. With that being said, it really wasn’t that hard of a decision for me.”

This year has been up-and-down for the Chiefs, who are looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak in the Patrick Mahomes era. Kansas City takes a 5-5 record into this week’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, fresh off back-to-back losses to the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. Sunday’s game could prove crucial for the Chiefs’ playoff hopes, as well.