Travis Kelce Reflects On Career-Low Super Bowl Performance, Deflects Retirement Questions

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.”