Travis Kelce, the stalwart of the Kansas City Chiefs, will once again don the team's colors for his 14th season, shattering speculation that he might be hanging up his cleats. His 'New Heights' podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce, broke the news on Instagram on March 9th, proclaiming, "HE'S BACK!!! TRAVIS KELCE IS BACK WITH THE CHIEFS FOR YEAR 14." The NFL echoed the announcement, confirming that Travis, who became engaged to Taylor Swift in August, will be playing for the 2026-2027 season, sharing a video with the caption, "He's not done yet."
The news comes after a challenging season for the Chiefs, who missed out on the playoffs. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an ACL injury, and the team ended their season with a loss to the Raiders on January 4th. Despite the tough season, Travis was uncertain about his future. "Who knows? Either [a decision] hits me quick, or I gotta take some time," he told The Kansas City Star. "Last year was a little bit easier. I think I knew right away I wanted to give this [year] a shot. I don’t know. We’ll see."
Despite a crushing loss at the 2025 Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, Travis has won three Super Bowl championships over his 13 years in the NFL. He has become widely regarded as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, setting records in his position across the league and the Kansas City organization.
In a February 2025 episode of 'New Heights,' Travis shared insight into the physical and emotional toll that football takes on him. "The fact that we keep going to those AFC Championships, to Super Bowls," he explained to Jason. "That means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. And that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body."
Jason, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, offered his own brotherly advice as Travis pondered his next steps. "It’s remarkable the journey and the run that you guys have had," he noted. "I know it’s been frustrating to look at this game, because it was such a dominating game for the Eagles, but the reality is it’s one of the incredible runs that’s ever happened in this f**king game."
Travis' brotherhood with his Chiefs teammates remains strong, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who shared his support for Travis as questions about his NFL future loomed. "I'll let Travis make that decision on his own, man," Patrick said to reporters following the 2025 Super Bowl. "He's given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy, not only for me to work with but for people to watch."
Beyond football, Travis has been exploring other ventures in the spotlight. He made his acting debut in Ryan Murphy's FX series 'Grotesquerie' and appeared in the upcoming movie 'Happy Gilmore 2' alongside Adam Sandler. Plus, he's been hosting the game show 'Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?' featuring other former NFL players, TV stars, and comedians. He's embracing all the opportunities coming his way.
"It's been a fun, fun life," he told E! News in October 2024. "I can't complain about a single thing over here."
