Travis Kelce’s Returning To Chiefs: Can He Improve His Performance?

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.