Here’s what Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had to say about retiring from football
Travis Kelce’s profile has skyrocketed over the past year, but he said Thursday that there’s one aspect of his life he doesn’t plan to change:
His playing career.
“I have no reason to stop playing football,” Kelce said. “I love it. We still have success. Come in with the right mindset, and I just like the challenge that it gives me every single day to try and be at my best.
“I have no desire to stop any time soon.”
The idea of retirement came up last November during Kelce’s interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine. Kelce revealed that retirement is constantly on his mind, mostly because of the physical toll football takes on a body. He said then that retirement is something he thinks about “more than anyone could ever imagine.”
Kelce, 34, has conducted fewer interviews this year, and Thursday was the first time he’s spoken about those comments to regional media since the story was published.
If anyone can say there’s more to life than football, it’s the Chiefs’ star tight end.
Since the end of last season, when he helped the Chiefs win a second Super Bowl in four years, Kelce began a relationship with music star Taylor Swift; served as a guest host on Saturday Night Live; appeared in several commercials; and has continued to participate in New Heights, the popular weekly podcast he records with NFL-playing brother Jason.
Asked what he’d do if he did retire, Kelce had a list.
“That’s the point of the offseason, being able to get out there and find what you love to do,” Kelce said. “I’ve been fortunate to do a few things outside the sports world that I’ve been enjoying, like getting on camera, the SNL stuff.
“It’s kind of opened up a new happiness and maybe a new career path for me. But it’s funny for me to even say that at this point in my career. It’s so much further down the road than it is right now.”
Kelce, who earns just over $14 million per season, is under contract until 2026. He’s a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer, having been named to the Pro Bowl roster for the ninth time. He’s also a four time All-Pro selection.
Teammate Marques Valdez-Scantling doesn’t believe Kelce is ready to leave the game behind.
“Nah, man,” Valdes-Scantling said. “He’s one of the best to ever do it. So as long he can get out there and put his cleats on, he’s gonna go out there and play.
“Whatever his personal life is is his personal life. That doesn’t matter when it comes to football. But him coming into work every day and being the leader that he is, that just shows the player that he is and the kind of teammate that he is.”
Kelce wasn’t the only member of the Chiefs who was asked about retirement on the eve of the team’s AFC Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid got the question, too. Earlier Thursday, Bill Belichick announced he is ending his head-coaching tenure with the New England Patriots, and longtime Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was removed from that position Wednesday.
Also stepping down this week: Alabama Crimson Tide coaching legend Nick Saban. Belichick is 71 and Carroll and Saban are 72.
Reid is 65.
“I figured that would come up.” Reid said. “Because I’m old. But not that old.”
Jesse Newell contributed to this story.
