After the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs at the 2025 Super Bowl, fans started to question whether Travis Kelce would retire from the team anytime soon. And in December of that year, the topic was raised again when the Chiefs’ season started to crumble.
Find out what we know about Travis’ career below.
Is Travis Kelce Retiring From the Chiefs?
Despite Travis’ successful career, the football player is open “more than anyone could ever imagine” about possibly retiring for the next chapter in his life. He shared with the Wall Street Journal in November 2023: “That’s the only thing I’ve never really been open about. The pain. The lingering injuries – the 10 surgeries I’ve had that I still feel every single surgery to this day.”
Despite the 2025 Super Bowl loss, Chiefs’ quarterback, Patrick Mahomes didn’t believe that Travis is throwing in the towel just yet. Patrick even commented on the topic in the postgame interview room: “He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL. He has a lot of football left in him. You can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moments, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind. It’s a grind out there to go out there and play 20 games and get to the Super Bowl. He’s done enough to be a gold jacket guy and a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But I know he still has love for the game.”
In December 2025, Travis was asked about his future with the Chiefs. Per ESPN, the athlete said he’d “rather just keep the focus on this team, right now” and that “all the conversations that [he has] with the team moving forward will be with them.”
Saying that he “unfortunately” has three games left of the season, Travis called this a “unique time” in his life but did not specify a retirement.
Why Did Jason Kelce Retire From Football?
Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, who played on the Philadelphia Eagles, retired from football in 2024 due to his lingering injuries. While emotionally tearing up over the hard decision, he shared at a press conference: “I announce that I am retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Thank you, Philadelphia, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for letting me represent this city and allowing me into your homes every Sunday. Forever we shall all share the bond of being Philadelphians. That’s all I got.”
The Kelce brothers played against each other at the 2023 Super Bowl, and Travis’ team, the Kansas City Chiefs, took home the trophy.
A very emotional day for the Kelce family as Jason announces his retirement 🥹💚
(via @EliotShorrParks)pic.twitter.com/BWEzwvF0ul
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) March 4, 2024
Jason confirmed that he felt confident with the decision he made to retire. As a podcaster on his show, “New Heights,” he candidly shared the reasoning behind the choice he made, to Travis: “The physical portion is at a point that it’s not a desire to continue to do, The reality was, it was more firm than it’s ever been this year that I just don’t think physically, I can compete at the level I want to anymore, and really compete the way I want to. My elbow, a little of my knees, it’s just gotten to the point where the deterioration and the recovery from that deterioration hasn’t really manifested on game day yet, but I know it’s going to start doing that. I’m hard on myself, and if I go out there and I’m not the player I want to be, it will crush me. I feel very confident in the decision that I made. I know that it’s time. I had a really good run.”
To the GOAT. Thank you, thank you, thank you. pic.twitter.com/N4TMP2LbHH
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 4, 2024
