Travis Kelce is expected to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2026 season.

No specifics have been revealed about what Kelce’s contract will look like. Chiefs’ general manager Brett Veach said in February that Kelce is welcome back on the team if he wants to keep playing. A source close to Kelce revealed Kelce’s intention to return for another season.

Kelce has 50.1 yards per game in 2025, which was the lowest mark of his career. His loss of speed, along with his lowest catch percentage since 2021, contributed to the declining numbers. Despite this, Kelce’s numbers still were good compared to other tight ends, leading to him making his 11th career Pro Bowl in 2025. He’s made the Pro Bowl every season since 2015. 

Since drafting Patrick Mahomes in 2017, the Mahomes-Kelce duo has won three Super Bowls. Mahomes is currently recovering from a torn ACL.

Mahomes restructured his contract earlier in the offseason to give the Chiefs more spending room. This move was key in allowing the Chiefs to bring Kelce back. Mahomes’ return date hasn’t been announced, but the duo will likely play together again. 

Now that Kelce has made a decision with his career, he can fully focus on his personal life. Kelce is expected to marry his fiancée, music superstar Taylor Swift, during the NFL offseason. The wedding is rumored to be on June 13, with the date chosen for Swift’s favorite number. It’s also in the heart of the offseason, meaning Kelce doesn’t have to worry about practice the next day or anything like that. 

The Chiefs and Kelce cannot officially sign a contract until March 11, the start of the new league year. Along with Kelce, the Chiefs also signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.

Does the star crossed lover still have blank space for one more season, or will he ride off into the midnight with his soon to be wife Taylor Swift?

There’s been speculation about Travis Kelce’s possible retirement all season. He was even asked about it after last season’s Super Bowl, where he committed to at least one more season. This speculation has been amped up after his proposal to his superstar musician girlfriend and the ACL injury to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes and Kelce have had a great relationship since Mahomes was drafted by the Chiefs in 2017. Does Kelce want to play another season where he won’t get to play with Mahomes for about half of it? Finances aren’t exactly an issue either — his podcast “New Heights” with his brother Jason has about three million subscribers.

The main reason he’d want to stay is to attempt to go for a “storybook” ending. At the very least, he might not feel right having anyone besides Mahomes throw him his last NFL pass. 

In an interview after the 2025-26 season finale on January 4, he was very noncommittal on his future. He simply emphasized his love for the organization. 

His fiancée Swift plans to take it easy after finishing the largest music tour in human history, the “Era’s” tour. She has stated that her new album “The Life of a Showgirl” will not have an accompanying tour. Both have been very busy the past few years. Swift has released six albums since 2019, and Kelce has been to the Super Bowl all but one season since 2019. This could be the power couple’s chance to ride off into the sunset. 

Regardless of what Kelce decides, it’s clear his reputation is strong. He will be a first ballot football hall of famer whenever he is eligible. 

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been fined for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an “obscene gesture” during an NFL game on Sept. 14.

Kelce motioned to his groin when he celebrated a 23-yard reception against the Philadelphia Eagles.

It was the third quarter and the clock read 4:16 when Kelce ran down the Eagles’ sideline, making hand gestures.

Kelce has been fined $14,491 by the NFL. He can appeal this decision if he wants to.

The exact moment was captured on camera and has been going viral ever since the game ended.

On social media, the video has gotten over six million views.

During this game, Kelce caught four passes, accumulating 61 yards.

This game was seen by many as a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl game, which the Eagles also won.

The Chiefs lost the game 20-17, marking this as their second loss of the season.

Kansas City will face the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 28.

The Kansas City Chiefs had another record-breaking season, heading to their third straight Super Bowl in the 2024-2025 season, where they will face the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch from Super Bowl 57, which the Chiefs won 38-35. Kansas City would have the chance to be the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row, going against the Eagles in Super Bowl 59. The Chiefs failed to show up and lost 40-22 in a blowout. The team still dominated the AFC, going 15-2 and winning their division for the ninth straight season.

Heading into the 2025 offseason, the Chiefs will need to rebuild their offense to support quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who had one of his worst statistical years of his career, and with tight end Travis Kelce turning 35, he is approaching the end of his career. The Chiefs would reshuffle their offensive line by trading All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in a surprising move. They would also franchise tag guard Trey Smith and sign free agent offensive tackle Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal. Kansas City re-signed several key players from last season’s Super Bowl run, like wide receiver Marquise Brown, linebacker Nick Bolton, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu.

The Chiefs also added to their already dominant defense, signing cornerback Kristian Fulton to a two-year $20 million deal, and defensive lineman Jerry Tillery to a one-year contract. They also signed other names, like quarterback Gardner Minshew and running back Elijah Mitchell.

>GET DEALS ON KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TICKETS NOW!

In the 2025 NFL draft, the Chiefs continued to add to their offensive line, drafting Josh Simmons out of Ohio State in the first round. They continued to add to their roster, making key selections like defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott from Tennessee and wide receiver Jalen Royals from Utah State to give Mahomes another weapon.

Kansas City will be the favorites once again to return to their fourth Super Bowl in a row heading into the 2025-2026 season with the 11th most challenging schedule in the NFL, according to Fox Sports. They open their season against a divisional rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, on the road in what should be a pivotal game for both teams’ seasons. The Chiefs will also get a chance at redemption in week two, when they host the Eagles in a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl at home in Kansas City, in one of the biggest games of the NFL season. Some other key matchups for the Chiefs this season include the Ravens in Week 4, the Lions in Week 6, and the Buffalo Bills in Week 9, in a huge rivalry game.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS SCHEDULE & TICKET DEALS

• Week 1: Sept. 5 at Los Angeles Chargers (Brazil – São Paulo)
• Week 2: Sept. 14 against Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 3: Sept. 21 at New York Giants
• Week 4: Sept. 28 against Baltimore Ravens
• Week 5: Oct. 6 at Jacksonville Jaguars
• Week 6: Oct. 12 against Detroit Lions
• Week 7: Oct. 19 against Las Vegas Raiders
• Week 8: Oct. 27 against Washington Commanders
• Week 9: Nov. 2 at Buffalo Bills
• Week 10: Bye Week
• Week 11: Nov. 16 at Denver Broncos
• Week 12: Nov. 23 against the Indianapolis Colts
• Week 13: Nov. 27 at Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving)
• Week 14: Dec. 7 against the Houston Texans
• Week 15: Dec. 14 against Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 16: Dec. 21 at Tennessee Titans
• Week 17: Dec. 25 against the Denver Broncos (Christmas)
• Week 18: at Las Vegas Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs Season/Games Odds

The Chiefs enter the season with the fourth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl in the NFL, at +800, and are in a three-way tie for the AFC Championship with the Bills and Ravens, both at +400 odds. The Chiefs are also favored in 16 out of their 17 games in 2025, with only one game as underdogs, in week nine against the Buffalo Bills, who were one of the two teams to beat them in the 2025 regular season. 

The publisher receives a commission for links in this story. 

Travis Kelce will turn 36 during this upcoming NFL season and stats show the Kansas City Chiefs star has lost a step. Last season, he posted the lowest numbers of his career as a starter with 823 yards and three touchdowns; he caught 97 passes but averaged only 8.5 yards per reception, the first time he’s ever averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach understands this and gave a brutally honest quote about how Kelce’s game will continue to change as he gets older.

“We’ve all seen it over the last few years,” Veach said via ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “There are periods throughout the season where you’re like, ‘This might be it.’ But when the games are the most important and the lights are the brightest, he finds it somewhere.

“The great ones know how to find it. They know where it’s buried, and they know how to access it. And they can’t access it at that age, week in and week out, but when they need it, they know how to find it.”

Kelce has earned a reputation for clutch play over the years, and his elite ability to find open space in the defense suggests he’ll be able to step up like Veach says, despite declining athleticism. He did “find it,” as Veach said in the postseason last year against the Houston Texans, when he recorded 117 yards receiving on seven catches and one touchdown. But he was effectively shut down in the AFC championship game and the blowout Super Bowl loss.

The Chiefs will need Kelce in big moments this season. Veach clearly believes he’s ready for the challenge.

There’s been speculation regarding the future of Kansas City Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce and if this season might be his last.

His quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, said Kelce is not acting as if this season is going into “his last ride.”

“If it’s the last ride, you would never know,” Mahomes said to the media about Kelce. “The way he’s talking about football, the way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year. He doesn’t seem like a guy that, it’s his last ride or he’s tired of the job.”

Kelce and Mahomes have had a historic partnership. From the time Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018, Kelce has 697 catches for 8,251 yards and 57 touchdowns.

Kelce’s motivation to continue his career could stem from the Chiefs’ blowout Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22.

Kelce also recorded his lowest season totals, 823 yards and three touchdowns, since his rookie year in the NFL.

The Chiefs enter the 2026 season tied as the favorites according to oddsmakers to win the Super Bowl with the Eagles. Their over/under 11.5 wins is also the highest in the NFL.

The 35-year-old tight end might be coming closer to his retirement, but it appears that day isn’t here yet.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s career isn’t done just yet. Kelce has put retirement rumors to rest, confirming he will return for another season.

“I’m coming back, for sure,” the tight end texted Pat McAfee, who read it live on his ESPN show Thursday. “Gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop. Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

The announcement comes just weeks after Kelce’s bid for a Super Bowl three-peat ended in disappointment.

After back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 2023 and 2024, the tight end and the Chiefs were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22.

The “tough” loss led Kelce to reflect on his future, teasing retirement on his New Heights podcast.

“I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year,” he told his brother, Jason Kelce, his co-host who officially retired from football in March 2024.

“Right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road. … I’m not making any crazy decisions, but right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding that there’s a lot goes into this thing.”

At age 35, Kelce acknowledged that the physical toll of the game was becoming harder to ignore.

“It’s a lot of time spent in the building focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand, every challenge that you set up for yourself, and that process can be grueling. It can weigh on you.”

Kelce admitted that the mental and physical demands of going all-in every season can add up.

“I think that it happens as you kind of tail off toward the back nine of your career … as you see yourself or not feel yourself have the success that you once used to have. Man, it’s a tough pill to swallow.”

“And then on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team’s counting on you, man … it’s just a tough reality.”

Ultimately, Kelce said his focus was on doing what was in the best interest of both himself and the Chiefs.

“I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back then it’s going to be something that is a wholehearted decision; I’m not half-assing it,” he said. “I’m fully here for them. I think I can play — whether or not I’m motivated and it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”

Selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, Kelce has spent his entire career with the Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s NFL future remains a matter of speculation, with several reports providing conflicting information regarding his retirement decision. Kelce is in line to receive a $12.5 million roster bonus in March, as well as a $4.5 million base salary with bonuses for the 2025 season.

The Chiefs fell one game short of a three-peat in the Super Bowl earlier this month, losing badly to the Eagles in a dreadful offensive showing. Kelce was a non-factor in the contest, catching just four passes for 39 yards.

“I wasn’t the best that I could be in motivating my guys and keeping my guys calm, cool and collected and I put a lot of that on myself, you know, as the guy that’s been in the building for 12 years and seen a lot of football and seen a situation just like this, in the Super Bowl,” Kelce said on his podcast after the defeat.

Not only did Kelce fail to produce in the Super Bowl, but he also received criticism for a perceived lack of hustle on several plays. While the Chiefs have spent the last three seasons building around quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Eagles finally conquered them in the most direct way possible: They excelled in all areas. 

As Kansas City reevaluates this failure and moves on from it, Kelce may need to take more of a supporting role if he plans to stay for another year. This shift may not be as difficult as it appears. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy is coming off an incredible rookie season and caught eight passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the Super Bowl. Fellow receiver Rashee Rice has to recover from an injury while battling considerable legal trouble, but he could also regain a key role when he returns. 

Despite his struggles coinciding directly with the Chiefs’ Super Bowl collapse, Kelce could still provide value if he chooses to stay for another season. If he makes the selfless decision to leave before the team has to divert any more funds toward him, however, it could give the team the chance to make further adjustments and build for the future. There doesn’t appear to be a wrong answer here, the luxury of being at a low point as the NFL’s runner-up.

With the game already decided, attention quickly shifted off the field. After Travis Kelce‘s minimal impact in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 40-22 Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the biggest question became whether he’d decide to retire.

Before the question could be asked, Kelce ended his brief media session.

“Have a good one guys,” he said to the media after answering several questions.

“Couldn’t get it going offensively,” Kelce reflected following his second Super Bowl defeat. “I mean, they just got after us on all three phases and then on top of that, turnovers, penalties, playing behind the sticks on offense … dropped passes, not taking advantage of the play call and executing them, there’s a lot that goes into it. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad.”

Over the past few seasons, Kelce has been candid about the prospect of retiring, though he consistently reminds everyone of his passion for football.

In April, he signed a two-year extension that will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.

“Where will I be in three years? I don’t know. Hopefully, still playing football,” Kelce remarked during his Super Bowl 2025 media day appearance. “I love doing this. I love coming into work every day. I feel like I’ve still got a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens.

“I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal, knowing that football only lasts so long. You’ve got to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseasons. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”

The 2024 season marked Kelce’s toughest since becoming a star, recording career lows of 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

If he decides to retire now, he’ll walk away with a crushing defeat, where he seemed to show his age and struggled to make an impact.

Kelce finished with only four catches for 39 yards, all of them coming in garbage time with the Eagles in control. He expressed his shock at the outcome, admitting “we haven’t played that bad all year.”

Patrick Mahomes will let Kelce take the time he needs to decide.

“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” he said. “He’s given so much to this team, to the NFL and such a joy not only for me to work with, but for people to watch. He knows he has a lot of football left in him. You can see he always makes the plays at the biggest moments, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind. . . . I know he still has love for the game. He’ll get some time with his family and make that decision on his own, but he knows he’ll come back here with welcome arms.”

As 35-year-old future Hall-of-Famer Travis Kelce attended his fifth Super Bowl Media Day on Monday, he was asked where he plans to be in three years.

“Hopefully still playing football,” he said.

“I love doing this, I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens. I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”

Kelce is a ten-time Pro-Bowler and has been selected to the first team All-Pro four times. He holds NFL records including in career postseason receptions, postseason games with a receiving touchdown, and seasons with over a thousand receiving yards by a tight end.

His career is already star-studded, not even mentioning the three Super Bowl rings.

Kelce’s brother, Jason Kelce, played center for the Philadelphia Eagles until his retirement following last season at the age of 36. Despite his success, Travis doesn’t look to be following the same path.

He posted career lows in yards, receiving yards per game and yards per reception in 2024, despite no large dip in his targets or receptions. Even so, Kelce has stepped up for the Chiefs in some big games, including in the divisional round against the Houston Texans, where he had seven catches for 117 yards.

Kelce has also branched into entertainment, continuing the podcast New Heights that he hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce, and taking on acting roles – most notably in the TV show Grotesquerie. But although he might moonlight as an actor, he’ll be staying on the football field for as long as he can.

This season, Kelce has been getting more attention for his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift than his on-field play.

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 on Christmas Day to clinch the first seed in the playoffs. Head coach Andy Reid made the announcement while dressed as Santa Claus, typical hijinks as Kansas City’s dynasty rolls on to another postseason.

“Merry Christmas! Proud of you, dudes. Proud of you,” Reid said in the locker room. “For the present, you get home field advantage.”

The Chiefs were never challenged in their Week 17 push against the Steelers, taking a 13-0 lead in the first quarter and never looking back. Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson showed flashes of his old style to keep the team in touch in the second quarter, but Kansas City’s defense dominated in the second half and snuffed out any chance of a comeback. 

After spending most of the season grinding out wins in defensive battles, the Chiefs have taken a notable step forward in recent weeks. The Texans and Steelers are both low-level playoff contenders in the AFC, and Kansas City earned commanding victories over both in Weeks 16 and 17. This doesn’t necessarily excuse a handful of lucky breaks earlier in the year, but it has done a lot to legitimize the team’s 15-1 record.

After suffering an ankle sprain in Week 15, many feared the worst for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. If anything, however, the three-time Super Bowl winner has been playing his best football all season since the setback. In the last two weeks, he has thrown for 580 yards and four touchdowns while also adding a score on the ground, a marked uptick in production during a largely slow and deliberate 2024 campaign.

While the defense continues to effectively contain opposing teams, the Chiefs’ offensive players around Mahomes also seem to finally be rounding into form. 

Every conversation about Mahomes’ offensive weapons must begin with tight end Travis Kelce. At age 35, Kelce has been managed by the team on and off all season in an obvious attempt to preserve the star for the postseason. 

When he has been called upon, however, Kelce has excelled in 2024. His target share increased immediately following an injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice earlier this season, and with a chance to clinch against the Steelers, he delivered again with seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. 

Kelce also set two milestones in the game against Pittsburgh, becoming the first Chiefs player to earn 1,000 career receptions while also passing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez for most Chiefs receiving touchdowns with 77. 

To celebrate his fourth quarter score, Kelce emulated Gonzalez by dunking the ball over the goalpost, incurring a penalty and potential fine. Gonzalez, who said in November that he would pay Kelce’s fine if he used the dunk celebration, congratulated Kelce on social media and received a response.

“You know I had to show love to the greatest of all time!!” Kelce said. “you did mention you’d help me with the fine tho.”

Kelce is still the undisputed focal point of the Chiefs offense, but he’s far from alone. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown has hit the ground running since his return from injury in Week 16, earning 15 targets in two weeks. Rookie wideout Xavier Worthy has not failed to score a touchdown since Week 15, proving to be a consistent threat in the rushing game while expanding his role down the sidelines. DeAndre Hopkins and JuJu Smith-Schuster have taken a step back for other receivers but are still key threats.

After clinching the AFC’s top seed and a bye in the NFL Playoffs one week ahead of schedule, the Chiefs will likely sit key players in Week 18 and begin early preparations for the postseason. With back-to-back Super Bowl victories in hand, this team has the experience and talent to figure as the favorite to win yet another championship. Everything seems to be going their way.

Through 10 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs remain perfect with a 9-0 record. Between that and back-to-back Super Bowl victories, they should figure as the prohibitive favorite to win another one next February. 

Many people still aren’t convinced, however. For years, the Chiefs’ identity has revolved around its offense. Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce have formed a dynastic duo, and since Tyreek Hill’s departure, Andy Reid’s innovative schemes have proven capable of turning an army of average wide receivers into playmakers. The team has been notoriously, sometimes frustratingly, fun to watch.

This year’s team is markedly different. It’s very reasonable to argue that Mahomes is having the worst season of his career. He currently ranks 11th in passing yards per game, behind Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson. Young breakout stars Isiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice both went down with injuries early in the year. 

Kelce has re-emerged as the best tight end in the league, but that hasn’t been enough to promote much scoring. The Chiefs also rank 11th in points per game, just ahead of the Steelers and Falcons. 

But while it would appear that Kansas City’s offense has regressed from a statistical standpoint, it may simply be a matter of game flow. Gone are the days of wild Chiefs shootouts, as the team’s defense has become an elite unit capable of shutting down most offenses in the league. Christopher Jones leads a monstrous defensive line that has shut down rushers all year, while a solid secondary has proven capable of keeping most receivers in check. As a whole, the defense has allowed the fourth fewest yards per game this season.

Mahomes’ gunslinging days seem to be behind him. In its place, Kansas City has adopted a surgical, grinding approach without losing any of its effectiveness. Not counting the preseason, the team hasn’t lost since Christmas Day in 2023.

It’s easy to poke holes in the team’s undefeated record. Just last week, Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a game-winning field goal blocked late in the fourth quarter. In Week 1, Isaiah Likely was one toe away from scoring a walkoff touchdown for the Ravens. Realistically, the Chiefs could very well have three or four losses if things had gone slightly differently. They’ve proven unflinchingly effective in crunch time, however, closing out tight games with elite efficiency.

It’s also easy to say that the Chiefs aren’t alone in the NFL’s top tier. Lamar Jackson is having an MVP-caliber season for the Ravens, who have also added Derrick Henry to their backfield. The Lions might have the best offense of the decade, featuring dynamic playmakers up and down the depth chart. Christian McCaffrey is back and the 49ers are rounding into form. The Bills and Eagles have both bucked expectations and returned to an elite level. 

It’s a crowded playoff race, and therefore tempting to fade the Chiefs and their deliberate play style. But Kansas City has dealt with serious postseason threats before, and in those situations, few have proven capable of out-dueling Mahomes. At various points in his career, Tom Brady wasn’t a fantasy football darling either, but he knew how to take care of business and trust an elite defense. It’s a distinct possibility that it’s the next step for Mahomes, too.

The Kansas City Chiefs sent wide receiver Rashee Rice to injured reserve Thursday with a knee injury he sustained against the Chargers in Week 4. The extent of Rice’s injury, as well as his expected return date, remain unclear, but this move will sideline him for at least four weeks.

When Rice was getting carted off the field Sunday after an ugly collision with quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a fumble recovery attempt, many feared that the young receiver would be out for the year. Initial reports of a torn ACL seemed to confirm this, but further tests revealed that the injury may not be that severe.

In any case, the Chiefs will be without Rice for at least a month, depriving them of another valuable option on offense. The team is already competing without running back Isiah Pacheco, who went to the IR after Week 2. Mahomes, who didn’t initially realize that he had caused the injury to Rice, regretted the incident after the game.

“I mean, when I saw the replay, I felt like s— that I hit Rashee,” Mahomes said. “I mean, I wasn’t worried about myself. I was worried about, hopefully, his injury and hopefully it wasn’t as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”

Without Pacheco and Rice, the Chiefs look eerily similar to the team they were several years ago, when Tyreek Hill departed and the offense ran through tight end Travis Kelce and a hodgepodge of wide receivers. That team managed to win a Super Bowl, indicating that Kansas City always has a chance as long as Mahomes is under center. The injuries simply make things more difficult.

The team is also said to be exploring what trades may be possible before the deadline next month. Last year, the Chiefs brought back Mecole Hardman in a deal with the Jets.

Despite spending half of his rookie season as a backup, Rice managed to finish 2023 with 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. After this season, he will likely face eight felony charges stemming from his involvement in a multi-vehicle collision on a Dallas highway back in March. This case will not affect Rice’s 2024 NFL season because the league is waiting for legal processes to finish before assessing a punishment.

Kansas is bidding to become the new home for the reigning Super Bowl champions and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals. On Tuesday, Kansas legislators approved a plan to finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams, potentially luring them away from Missouri.

The bipartisan legislative supermajorities passed a measure to authorize state bonds for the stadiums on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, a region of 2.3 million residents split by the state border.

This plan now moves to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who is not explicitly committed to sign it, but has expressed optimism about Kansas becoming a “professional sports powerhouse.”

The Chiefs, fresh off three Super Bowl victories in five years and bolstered by the celebrity appeal of Travis Kelce’s romance with Taylor Swift and the Royals, are both exploring their options. Their current lease on Missouri’s stadium complex runs through January 2031, but both teams have indicated the need to plan for their future homes.

Korb Maxwell, an attorney for the Chiefs who resides on the Kansas side, hailed the legislative approval as a significant step forward. “This is incredibly real,” Maxwell told ESPN, highlighting the move’s excitement.

Despite longstanding research suggesting that government subsidies for professional sports stadiums often do not yield a positive economic return, Kansas lawmakers acted. Critics also argued that the legislative process needed to be moving faster.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) has not yet commented on the Kansas legislation. Still, Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas vowed to present a compelling offer to keep both teams in their current home.

“Today was largely, in my opinion, about leverage,” Lucas said. “And the teams are in an exceptional leverage position.”

Some Kansas officials echoed similar sentiments. “I think the Chiefs and the Royals are using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Kansas City-area Democrat.

The Kansas House approved the stadium-financing plan with a vote of 84-38, and the Senate followed suit with a 27-8 vote. The measure allows state bonds to cover up to 70% of the cost for each new stadium, with repayment over 30 years using revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes collected from surrounding entertainment districts.

House Commerce Committee chair Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, emphasized that the Chiefs are expected to contribute between $500 million and $700 million in private funds for the new stadium. “There are no blank checks,” Tarwater reassured his GOP colleagues.

The stadium debate occurred during a one-day special session convened by Gov. Kelly to consider tax reductions following her veto of three tax-cutting plans earlier this year. Republican leaders had promised that the stadium proposal would only be considered after passing a tax bill, which ultimately helped garner support for the stadium initiative.

Economists have consistently argued that new sports stadiums often fail to generate significant net economic benefits.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said on the New Heights podcast this week that he regretted an altercation with head coach Andy Reid at the Super Bowl Sunday.

Kelce’s brother, Jason Kelce, began the conversation by calling him out, claiming that he had crossed a line.

Late in the first half, Kelce was seen yelling at Reid on the sidelines after the coach temporarily removed him from the game. The dispute escalated when the tight end made contact with his coach, knocking him off balance.

“I can’t get that fired up to the point where I’m bumping coach and it’s getting him off balance and stuff,” Kelce said. “When he stumbled I was like, ‘Oh s—‘ in my head.”

Despite a slow start, the Chiefs erased a 10-point deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime 25-22. Earlier in the week, Reid addressed the incident with Kelce and largely dismissed it. It is more than likely that the pair’s most recent championship victory quickly resolved any issues they might have had after their first-half altercation.

“He keeps me young,” Reid said. “He tested that hip out. He caught me off balance — normally, I’d give him a little bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me.”

Kelce has been a Chief since 2013, playing under Reid for the entirety of his career. The pair have now won three Super Bowls together, forging one of the closest coach-player bonds in the league.

“I couldn’t be more proud of being his product on the field and I couldn’t be more proud of where we’ve come since I got here in 2013,” Kelce went on to say during his apology. “I just love playing for the guy. Unfortunately, sometimes my passion comes out where it looks like it’s negativity, but I’m grateful that he knows that it’s all because I want to win this thing with him, more than anything.”

Though both have been rumored to be considering retirement in the near future, Kelce and Reid are both currently slated to return to the NFL for the 2024 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII. With the game in the extra period and the KC down three, Patrick Mahomes drove the team 75 yards for a championship-winning touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.

With the win, Mahomes wins his third Super Bowl MVP, only the third player in history to do so. The win for the Chiefs also marks the first back-to-back championships since 2003/04, with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

“I love these guys right here. Family forever, baby. I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” tight end Travis Kelce said after the game. “And how about it? We get a chance to do it three times in a row.”

The game started slow with neither team able to score in the first quarter. The 49ers were able to take a 10-0 lead after a 21-yard touchdown pass from receiver Jauan Jennings to running back Christian McCaffrey. Kansas City was able to kick a field goal to only be down seven going into halftime. In the third quarter, the Chiefs defense dominated the Niners to force three straight punts and a recovered fumble, while the offense was able to score a Super Bowl-record long field goal and a Mahomes to Marquez Valdez-Scantling touchdown to take the lead 13-10.

San Fransisco quickly scored in the fourth quarter but missed the extra point to go up by only three. The Chiefs were able to quickly respond with another field goal of their own to retie the game. With five minutes left, the 49ers were able to march down the field one last time in regulation to kick a field goal with two minutes remaining. Down three, Mahomes did what he does best and took his team down the field to set up another Harrison Butker kick to retie the game for a second time and send it into overtime.

The 49ers won the coin toss in the extra period, the first playoff game with new overtime rules allowing both teams to be guaranteed a possession. They were able to use half of the clock to set up their final score of the game, which came in the form of a 27-yard Jake Moody field goal. With seven minutes left and down three, Mahomes once again did what he’s known for and led a comeback for the ages. Without a key run from Mahomes and a crucial pass to Kelce, the Chiefs were, at multiple times, only a play away from losing the game. However, with the clock at only a few seconds left and the Chiefs lined up at the three-yard line, Mahomes found Hardman for the championship-sealing score.

Mahomes finished the game 34/46 with 333 passing yards and 66 rushing yards for two touchdowns and an interception to win the game MVP, his third total and second straight. Kelce ended with nine catches for 93 yards, and both Valdez-Scantling and Hardman had three catches, each scoring a touchdown for KC.

For the 49ers, quarterback Brock Purdy finished 23/38 for 255 yards and a touchdown. McCaffrey had a touchdown and a fumble while leading San Fransisco in both rushing and receiving yards with 80 each and Jennings became the second player in history to throw and catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Receiver Deebo Samuel tried to play through an injury on Sunday night, but could only manage to gain 41 total yards.

Mahomes now has 15 playoff wins and is only behind Brady and Joe Montana on the all-time list while Kelce became the third player to lead his team in receiving in three different Super Bowl games.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is also now tied for the third-most Super Bowl wins by an NFL coach, and the team’s three championships in five years have all come after trailing by at least ten points. Just like the Patriots did with Brady and Bill Belichick, the Chiefs with Mahomes, Kelce and Reid are building a new dynasty right in front of us.

“It’s the start of [a dynasty], we’re not done. I know we’re going to celebrate tonight but we got a young team, we going to keep this thing going,” Mahomes said.

In a tense rant, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce called out Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker on his New Heights podcast on Wednesday.

Kelce threw Tucker’s equipment away from the Chiefs’ side of the field before the AFC Championship game Sunday, claiming that it was in the way of Patrick Mahomes’ warmup.

“If you want to be a f—ing d— about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f—ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up,” Kelce said on the podcast. “If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.”

Kelce went on to double down, taunting Tucker again in more concise terms.

“If you’re going to be a d—, I promise you I can one-up you every time,” Kelce said.

Kelce later apologized for overreacting, though he also attempted to defend himself by claiming that Tucker winked at him before the game. With the Chiefs moving on to the Super Bowl, it’s somewhat surprising that Kelce went back to address an incident that was more or less settled last weekend. Tucker clearly explained his side of the story on Monday.

“I find it kind of silly that we’re even having to address it or talk about something that happened before the game,” Tucker said Monday, according to a team transcript. “I think if you see the whole interaction, and then you see us at the coin toss – we’re all dapping each other up and then we just get on with the football game.”

Tucker went on to explain that he has always placed his equipment on the opponents’ side of the field, following a common pre-game routine for kickers.

“For those who don’t know, the way it works is each team’s kicker goes to the other team’s designated warm-up area on the field — and for me, it’s usually about 90 minutes before kickoff,” Tucker said. “I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, and never really had a problem with anybody.”

Tucker and Kelce, arguably the best players at their positions in the league, both played major parts in their team’s success this season. This mild feud between the two will likely dissipate as the Chiefs turn their sights on the Super Bowl next week.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce delivered a detailed explanation for his helmet-throwing incident last weekend during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders. During a poor first half, Kelce threw his helmet on the sidelines and had to be reprimanded by head coach Andy Reid.

“[Reid] wanted to see the fire in me, and I reacted in a bad way,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast earlier this week. “And, right now, I’m just not playing my best football, and I gotta f—— lock the f— in, and be more accountable for him, be more accountable for my teammates. I gotta keep my f—– cool, man. As a leader on this team, that’s not how you switch the momentum.”

Kelce was not the only one to express his frustration Sunday, as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also spotted yelling at teammates after a scoreless first quarter. Kansas City went on to lose the game 20-14.

The Chiefs have lost three of their last four games, though they still hold a 9-6 record and will make the playoffs. The reigning Super Bowl champs have been visibly frustrated  by the recent rough patch, complaining about referees and speaking out during press conferences.

Kelce has not performed at his usual level either during this stretch and has not reached 100 yards since Week 7. The tight end also said on his podcast that he and his teammates had to take “more ownership” for their losses and regain momentum.

If the Chiefs do not gain the first seed in the AFC, they could eventually have to play in their first road playoff game of the Mahomes era. This is more of a testament to Mahomes’ success in five seasons as the team’s starter but also marks a rare point of regression for the star quarterback and Reid’s offense.

The Chiefs will finish the regular season in games against the Bengals and Chargers. Both teams have lost their starting quarterbacks to season-ending injuries, providing Mahomes and Kelce with ample opportunities to turn things around ahead of the postseason.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce returned to practice Wednesday and is on track to play in Week 2. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Thursday that the decision will ultimately be made by coaches later this week.

On his podcast with his brother, Eagles center Jason Kelce, the Chiefs All-Pro tight end expressed frustration about missing Week 1, a game Kansas City lost to the Detroit Lions 20-19. Kelce reportedly begged coaches to play before the game but they did not allow him to do so.

“Seriously though, I did feel like an a—— for not being able to be out there Week 1,” Kelce said on his podcast. “I know you’ve got to be very fortunate to play this game. I take a lot of this to heart, being able to be out there every single week.”

Kelce went on to say that he takes pride in his durability week to week in the NFL, which made the injury even worse for him. Between 2014 and 2022, he only missed three games, two of which were meaningless end-of-season games in which he was rested.

“You were kind of talking about the toughness rating on Madden — I love to put that on my shoulders, on my resume, that I make myself available every single week,” Kelce said. “And the last practice going into the first game, I got a little lazy on some of my movement and sure enough, offed myself and couldn’t play in the first game.”

In an era of the league where tight ends typically have a reduced role on offense, Kelce stands out as the lead pass catcher on the league’s best offense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes clearly struggled without Kelce on the field, as several wide receivers dropped passes that went on to cost the team the game. Based on his personal determination, however, Kelce seems to be trending in the right direction and could convince coaches to let him appear in Week 2.

It’s hard to be in two places at once—especially if you have two sons both playing in the NFL postseason on the same day. Donna Kelce made it happen, though.

Kelce, the mother (of the year?) of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Eagles center Jason Kelce, flew from Tampa to Kansas City on Sunday to catch both of her sons in action during Super Wild Card weekend.

She won’t have to pick rooting allegiances for a hypothetical Super Bowl matchup, as Jason’s Eagles fell to the Buccaneers, 31-15. However, she did get to see Travis and the Chiefs beat the Steelers, 42-21.

“We’ll go first to Donna Kelce,” a Chiefs staffer said during Sunday’s press conference, which resulted with Travis replying, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Yes, it’s your mom,” Donna said. “I actually made it. At a disappointing Tampa game, this was an elation to see you get a touchdown in a playoff game. Oh my gosh, how good did that feel? How good did that feel after all these years?”

Travis recorded his first career passing touchdown to receiver Byron Pringle in the fourth quarter.

“I used to tell my mom when I was five years old, that I was going to eventually throw a touchdown in the National Football League, I finally got it done,” Travis said. “It only took me nine years. That’s a good question though, mom.”

In addition to the TD throw, Kelce also caught one in the win.

The Kelce matriarch watched the game from a stadium suite with her KC player son’s longtime girlfriend, Kayla Nicole.

“Mama Kelce made it y’all,” Nicole posted Sunday night to Instagram.

The Chiefs are set to host the Bills next weekend in the AFC Divisional Round playoffs. There’s no word as to whether Donna will be in attendance at Arrowhead.