Travis Kelce Officially Returning for 13th NFL Season with Kansas City Chiefs
Reports circulating earlier in the week strongly hinted at Travis Kelce’s return to the National Football League, and it now appears those reports were accurate. While the star tight end himself has yet to formally address the decision in a public statement, confirmation arrived via an unconventional but unmistakable channel: the official X (formerly Twitter) account for his popular podcast, "New Heights," co-hosted with his brother, Jason Kelce.
The post, styled as a message directly "from the desk of @tkelce," declared, "ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13." It further teased that a "full breakdown" of the decision-making process would be revealed on the next episode of the podcast, promising listeners an in-depth look into Kelce’s thought process behind his choice to continue his illustrious career.
Adding a layer of theatrical flair to the announcement, the post included a short video clip referencing a memorable scene from the film "The Wolf of Wall Street." In the clip, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Jordan Belfort, passionately announces to his employees that he is "not f—ing leaving" his company, Stratton Oakmont, despite facing intense scrutiny and investigations. In the version posted to Kelce’s X account, Kelce’s face was digitally superimposed onto DiCaprio’s, while the faces of key figures within the Kansas City Chiefs organization, including head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, his brother Jason Kelce, general manager Brett Veach, and owner Clark Hunt, were superimposed onto the faces of Belfort’s colleagues. The inclusion of this clip, while humorous, served to underscore Kelce’s commitment to the Chiefs and his determination to remain a vital part of the team’s pursuit of continued success.
The choice of imagery suggests Kelce feels a similar level of dedication and passion for his team and career as the character of Belfort. While certainly meant to be humorous, the usage of the clip suggests the weight of his decision and a strong desire to continue despite past contemplation of retirement.
Adding further weight to the confirmation, sports commentator Pat McAfee insinuated on his show that he had received a text message directly from Kelce. McAfee relayed the contents of the purported text, stating, "My dog!!! I’m coming back for sure. Going to try and get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop." McAfee attributed the quote to a "source," further alluding that it was directly from Kelce. The comment also indicated that Kelce was motivated to focus more on football and better performance through his offseason work. The text also suggested a determination on Kelce’s part to redeem himself and regain peak performance levels. He also expressed dissatisfaction with his performance in the most recent Super Bowl.
NFL Network also independently reported Kelce’s intention to return, solidifying the growing consensus that the tight end would indeed be back on the field for the 2024 season.
With Kelce’s return seemingly assured, the Kansas City Chiefs can now breathe a collective sigh of relief and proceed with the remainder of the offseason without the immediate pressure of addressing a potential void at the tight end position. While there had been discussion of drafting a tight end, Kelce’s announcement releases the team from committing resources to the position. This allows the Chiefs to prioritize other areas of the team during the draft.
Although Kelce’s performance last season might not have reached the stratospheric heights of his previous campaigns, he remained a highly productive player. He recorded 93 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns. While these numbers represent the lowest yardage and touchdown totals Kelce has accumulated over a full season in his career, they nonetheless demonstrate his continued ability to contribute significantly to the Chiefs’ offense.
Notably, Kelce offered a glimpse of his vintage form during the Chiefs’ AFC divisional round victory over the Houston Texans, where he turned in a standout performance, hauling in seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. However, in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce’s impact was somewhat muted, as he managed only four receptions for 39 yards, all of which occurred after the outcome of the game was effectively decided.
Kelce had been open about considering retirement following the Super Bowl, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his future. Reports even surfaced prior to the game suggesting that the result of the Super Bowl could potentially influence Kelce’s decision. The loss to his brother Jason’s team created speculation that Kelce might chose to focus on other avenues.
Regardless, his return will solidify the Chiefs chances for another Super Bowl run. It will also provide security for the Chiefs young receiving corp and allow them to develop.
Kelce’s contributions to the game of football have solidified his place among the all-time greats. Among tight ends in NFL history, Kelce currently ranks third in career receptions (1,004), third in career receiving yards (12,151), and fifth in career touchdowns (77). His resume places him as a sure-fire hall of famer upon retirement.
While the length of Kelce’s contract remains uncertain, his return solidifies the Chiefs chances to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.
