Travis Kelce to return, and the Chiefs (naturally) appear to be his preferred destination

Travis Kelce is connected his mode backmost to the NFL for a 14th season, and it was reported Monday that his destination volition beryllium a instrumentality to the Kansas City Chiefs, the lone squad for which helium has played.

The Chiefs don’t person arsenic overmuch wealth to walk successful escaped bureau arsenic galore different teams, but Kelce, 36, is expected to crook down much lucrative offers to enactment with the Chiefs, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said.

The Chiefs person $23 million–$25 cardinal successful disposable wage headdress space. The squad created country aft restructuring backmost Patrick Mahomes’ contract, releasing seasoned tackle Jawaan Taylor, and trading elite cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams.

Kelce, 1 of the astir fashionable players successful the NFL and a definite Hall of Famer, contemplated status aft the 2025-26 season. The Chiefs cratered to a 6-11 record, losing their past six games and finishing a distant 3rd successful the AFC West down the Denver Broncos and Chargers. They missed the playoffs for the archetypal clip since 2014.

Kelce admits to having mislaid a step, but helium inactive finished with 76 receptions connected 108 targets and 851 receiving yards. He was voted to the Pro Bowl for the 11th twelvemonth successful a enactment and moved up to eighth connected the all-time receiving list. He has much vocation receptions (1,080) than immoderate choky extremity too Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Jason Witten (1,228).

His determination to instrumentality for 1 much play followed weeks of treatment with Chiefs Coach Andy Reid, teammates, household and adjacent confidantes — including his fiancé and euphony megastar Taylor Swift. Kelce co-hosts the fashionable “New Heights” podcast each Wednesday during the NFL play with his brother, erstwhile Philadelphia Eagles six-time All-Pro halfway Jason Kelce.

Kelce, who has made astir $112 cardinal successful salary, is expected to instrumentality a wage chopped and play the 2026-27 play for astir $10 million. His two-year, $34.25 cardinal declaration hold expired aft past season, making him a escaped agent.

“I conscionable emotion this team,” Kelce said successful January aft the Chiefs’ past game. “I’m arrogant of the mode we finished this, adjacent though it ended the mode it did. The guys inactive showed up and gave it their all. That’s each you tin inquire for, man. I’ve got truthful overmuch emotion for this team, this enactment and the radical here.”

A week earlier, helium admitted status had crossed his caput aft the Chiefs’ past location game.

“A full batch of emotions,” helium told reporters. “You’ve got everybody successful the satellite watching you. You get to spell retired determination with the young guys connected prime-time television. Young guys getting an accidental to sensation what this NFL beingness is like.”

Yet helium besides savored the moment, and hinted that helium mightiness bask the adulation of Chiefs fans a spot longer.

“You lone get a fewer of those wherever you get to basal determination and admit 70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you,” helium said. “I ever clasp that moment.

“You consciousness the generations of happiness and the emotion [the fans] have. It’s a beauteous thing, man.”