Travis Kelce admitted he would return for another season with the Kansas City Chiefs, saying he would “give it one more try.”
On Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights,” his brother Jason Kelce sparked a discussion by announcing, “87 is coming back,” referring to Travis’ jersey number.
“Yeah, I’ll do it again. It’s fun to reunite with my friends,” the 36-year-old tight end replied.
When asked when he was “definitely” going to be in his 14th season, he only said, “About halfway through (his 13th season).”
He went on to explain that he took a break to let his fans know about his decision because he “followed Jason Kelce’s advice to take a step back.”
“I’ve got to clear my emotions and clear my mind. I’ve made decisions based on (sic) emotions and they haven’t always gone in the right direction. So I took a step back and let my emotions calm down and let the frustrations of the season settle down…” he continued.
“Of course I want to come back. I don’t want to end my career without making the playoffs and not having my best year,” Travis continued, explaining that he seriously considered his “wants” and the state of his body.
“There was still enough hunger to start over. Obviously, there’s still a little bit of that grit and emotion left. I really hated the way last year ended. I want to make it right. Let’s get another chance and get another Super Bowl.”
Travis also denied speculation that running back Kenneth Walker would return solely because he just signed with the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes was scheduled to return after tearing his ACL during the 2025-2026 season.
He reiterated, “I wanted to take a step back from all of that because it made me want to play even more. I’ve listed all the pros and cons, I’ve got all the good pieces, but where is my body, my mental determination, my focus, my love for the game, all of that is still there.”
Travis confirmed on Monday that he will return to play for the Chiefs, where he has been since 2013, despite rumors of his retirement.
“He’s back!!” revealed a post shared on his podcast’s social media page. “Travis Kelce returns to the Chiefs for his 14th year.”
The Athletic later reported that he had agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $15 million.
On Tuesday, the aspiring actor shared how his fiancée, Taylor Swift, inspired him to play soccer for another year.
Travis said in a live taping of “The Pat McAfee Show”, “She…We share the same love for our work and fortunately, we both had that desire from childhood in our professions.”
“It’s really great to see her keep coming to the table and keep writing new things and keep finding new melodies and things like that,” he added. “Plus, I still see her love and joy for what she does.”
“It’s motivating for anyone, let alone my fiancée, to see that and know that I’m going through something where I’m trying to figure out exactly what the future holds,” he explained. “Things like that definitely motivate me to say, ‘I know, I’m not done yet either.’
After the Chiefs missed the playoffs in January, Travis suggested he might hang up his football helmet during an interview with local reporter Sam McDowell.
