Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce isn’t ready to start thinking about life after football.
Kelce, 36, addressed his NFL future ahead of the Chiefs’ season opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14. After an offseason that included his wedding to Taylor Swift, Kelce told ESPN’s Chris Berman that he still has the desire to compete and isn’t ready to walk away from the game.
The comments come after Kelce’s future was a major question earlier this year, with some fans wondering whether he would return for another season.
Kelce ultimately came back, and he made it clear that his motivation to play remains strong.
Travis Kelce Wants to Play ‘Until the Wheels Fall Off’
During an interview that aired on “Good Morning America,” Kelce told Berman he hasn’t reached the point where he is ready for the next stage of his life.
He said he’s “still kinda sitting here like, ‘I don’t wanna let this thing go.'”
Kelce explained that his decision to continue playing comes down to his love for football and his belief that he can still help the Chiefs win.
He said he wants “to keep playing until the wheels fall off.”
“I still have the desire to go out there and compete, and I still think I can compete at a high level,” Kelce said.
“I love this game so much that I’m not ready to go into that next phase yet,” he added.
Kelce will begin another season alongside quarterback Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City hosts Denver. Mahomes is returning after tearing his ACL late last season.
Kelce said the Chiefs “are ready to rock and roll” and offered an encouraging assessment of his longtime quarterback.
“Pat’s at the top of his game like he always is,” Kelce told Berman.
Kelce Also Opens Up About His Wedding to Taylor Swift
Kelce also reflected on a major moment from his offseason: marrying Swift.
The couple tied the knot July 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York, and Kelce revealed that he wore a white top hat during the ceremony.
“It was the best night of my life,” Kelce said. “Marrying Taylor was more than I could have ever dreamed it to be because of all the people that showed up, and the amount of, you know, love that was in the air.”
Mahomes also attended the wedding and told Berman that he tested his surgically repaired knee on the dance floor.
“My perspective, it was a lot of fun, I did a little dancing. I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to dance, and it was good to get my first dancing experience of the offseason,” Mahomes said.
Kansas City and Denver kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Sept. 14.
Travis Kelce Makes Feelings Clear on NFL Retirement Ahead of Chiefs-Broncos Game