Travis Kelce engaged to Taylor Swift as Chiefs expect retirement after 2026 NFL season

Travis Kelce put a ring on Taylor Swift’s finger to add another signature moment to that love story, while the 2025 season may be last chapter in his NFL era.

Those in the Chiefs organization are bracing for the 2025 campaign to be the future Hall of Famer’s final NFL season following early offseason rumors about a potential retirement.

This season will be Kelce’s 13th in the NFL, all with the Chiefs after they selected him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

“Since he announced his return to the Chiefs in late February, all signs have pointed to the 2025 season being Kelce’s last,” ESPN reported Tuesday. “Since June, Kelce, who is in the final year of his contract, has spoken about his future with the team through only this season. Several members of the Chiefs’ organization, in the front office and business department, are coy to use the word “retirement,” but they have already expressed their appreciation for Kelce’s importance to the franchise and have said they hope to experience plenty of joy while cherishing his performances.”

There has been plenty of speculation about when Kelce will retire, especially after he contemplated calling it quits last offseason and with his post-career possibilities in full blossom.

Kelce had the worst year of his career in 2024 with career-lows in yards with 832 and touchdowns with three for any season in which he appeared in more than one game.

He then had an underwhelming Super Bowl 2025 showing against the Eagles.

Some wondered if Kelce would fully embrace his post-career life alongside his mega pop star fiancee’ and his “New Heights” podcast with brother Jason Kelce.

Ultimately, Kelce could not get over how his season ended, with the 35-year-old — who turns 36 in October — repeatedly telling himself “I can’t go out like that,” per ESPN.

Kelce announced via a text that ESPN’s Pat McAfee read on air Feb. 27 that he would be back.

The 2025 season is the last year on his contract extension.

“I’m coming back, for sure,” Kelce texted McAfee. “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!!!!”

In his quest to have what some would label a rebound season, Kelce lost some weight this offseason.

He reportedly trained in Florida in hope of trying to reclaim some of the agility and quickness he believed had started to dip as he’s gotten older.

Kelce averaged a career-worst 8.5 yards per reception last year, the first time he’s ever averaged less than 10 yards per catch.

“You’ve got to rebuild (your body),” Kelce said, per ESPN. “This year, I got some time to really focus on some form-running and some things early on in the offseason that I just didn’t have time for last year. Certainly, I’m feeling good, and I think it’ll pay off.”

Kelce and the Chiefs open the season on Sept. 5 in Brazil against the Chargers and they have the fourth-best odds at DraftKings to win the Super Bowl at +850, although that’s third-best in the AFC behind the co-leaders Bills and Ravens at +600 odds.

The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls with Kelce and appeared in five.

“Hopefully he’ll go out a champion,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said at this year’s combine, per ESPN. “Hopefully, he has a magical season to end a magical career.”

Credit to Nypost AND Peoples