Travis Kelce's teammate fires back at assertion Chiefs should part ways with tight end

Kansas City Chiefs prima Chris Jones came retired successful defence of Travis Kelce aft a erstwhile wide manager said the squad should determination connected from the choky extremity successful the offseason.

Former New York Jets wide manager Mike Tannenbaum said connected ESPN’s "SportsCenter" connected Wednesday that the Chiefs should chopped Kelce and look to upgrade the presumption with a younger and faster player.

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Kansas City Chiefs antiaircraft tackle Chris Jones (95) gestures to teh assemblage during the 3rd 4th astatine GEHA Field astatine Arrowhead Stadium connected Dec. 25, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)

Jones, a antiaircraft tackle, had a two-word response.

"Shut up," helium wrote connected X.

Tannenbaum said that the Chiefs beforehand bureau should beryllium projecting what a subordinate tin bring to the array now, alternatively of evaluating past performance.

"I would determination connected from Travis Kelce and fto maine archer you why. When you’re successful the beforehand office, you person to task what a subordinate is going to do," helium said. "Not what they’ve done. I’ve made that mistake countless times successful my career. And Travis Kelce is simply a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but erstwhile you ticker him and marque an honorable and sober valuation of his 2025 performance, clearly, his champion days are down him.

"We speech astir their deficiency of explosive plays, if I was Kansas City, I would marque the right, albeit difficult, determination to determination connected from Travis Kelce to effort to get younger, faster and much explosive astatine the choky extremity position."

Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce (87) talks with Chicago Bears spot kicker Cairo Santos (8) aft the crippled astatine GEHA Field astatine Arrowhead Stadium connected Aug. 22, 2025. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

PATRICK MAHOMES MAKES CURIOUS TRAVIS KELCE COMMENTS WITH CHIEFS' SEASON ON BRINK

Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion and 11-time Pro Bowler, has seen his stats alteration implicit the past 3 seasons. Though, arsenic he’s aged, antiaircraft coaches person been much keen to screen Kelce successful a mode that prevents Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ discourtesy from harming them.

He did person amended numbers from the 2024 play to the 2025 season. He had 851 receiving yards connected 76 catches and 5 touchdowns past play – up from 2024 erstwhile helium had 97 catches for 823 yards and 3 touchdowns. He besides proved to beryllium a invaluable people for Mahomes’ backups erstwhile helium suffered a season-ending injury.

Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce acknowledges the assemblage connected the 10th spread during the 2nd circular of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am play tourney astatine Pebble Beach Golf Links connected Feb. 13, 2026. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

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Kelce could inactive opt to retire, which makes the Chiefs’ determination moot. But arsenic of now, his aboriginal is inactive hanging successful the balance.

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