Travis Kelce’s Subtle Move After Chiefs’ Loss Has Fans Thinking He’s Ready to Retire

Sunday night marked the end of an era for Travis Kelce and the Chiefswhose decadent run of nine straight AFC West titles will come to an end after their bitter loss to the Texans.

In a game in which the Chiefs' playoff hopes were on the lineKelcePatrick Mahomes and several other members of the team did not deliver. Mahomes finished with three picks and a career-worst 42.4% completion percentage and 19.8 passer rating. Kelce had just one catch and dropped the ball on what might have been the most pivotal play of the gameleading to Mahomes's third pick late in the fourth quarter. Even coach Andy Reid didn't make the right decisions when it mattered most.

With the Chiefs on the cusp of their first missed postseason berth in a decadeKelce in particular looked the part of a defeated man on the sidelines. He was seen deep in thought on the bench following his big dropand then when the final whistle blewhe refused to take off his helmet.

Many fans drew parallels to Kelce's sad moment and that of his older brotherJasonin his last game for the Eagles in January 2024:

Here's a look at Kelce's sad walk from the fieldwith his helmet still on:

Kelce kept his helmet on all the way to the Chiefs' locker roomand even then he reportedly remained in full uniform for several minutes as he stared at the ground.

Is this the end of the road for the Chiefs tight end? No one really knowsgiven that Kelce declined to make himself available to the media following the loss.

What Travis Kelce Has Said About His Potential NFL Retirement

As rumors swirled over the summer around Kelce's future in the NFLthe Chiefs tight end vowed after February's Super Bowl blowout loss to the Eagles that he would be back on the field for the 2025 season.

"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!!!!" Kelce allegedly texted Pat McAfee.

In the months since thenthe 36-year-old has made only generalized statements about his future with the Chiefs.

"It's the last [year] on the contract right now." Kelce said before the Chiefs' season-opener in September. "But I'll tell you what: I'm feeling youngand I'm feeling ready to rockbaby."

In Octoberwhen Kelce made history by hauling in his 100th career touchdown catchthe Chiefs star again weighed in on his potential retirement.

"We're cherishing every single one of these gamesnot knowing how long we'll be able to do this," said Kelce.

The truth isneither his teammates nor his coach likely know for certain what Kelce aims to do after this disappointing 13th campaign in Kansas Cityassuming the Chiefs miss out on the playoffs (they only have a 16% chance of getting in now). What we do reportedly know is that Kelce has a wedding date with Taylor Swift set for June 2026—whether he'll still be an active NFL player by then remains to be seen.

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