Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been in the headlines all offseason.
Early on, everyone was awaiting his decision on whether or not he would retire from football. Not only is Kelce returning for the 2026 season, he stated that retirement was never really something he heavily considered. Kelce then capped the offseason off by marrying his fiancé — pop megastar singer Taylor Swift — this past Friday at Madison Square Garden.
Travis Kelce Lands at No. 79 on NFL’s 2026 Top 100 Players List
GettyChiefs TE Travis Kelce
The league is revealing two players each day Monday through Friday from June 22 to August 21. When they reach the top 10, one player will be revealed each day from August 24 to September 4. Kelce is the second Chief to make the list so far, as center Creed Humphrey came in at No. 94. Here is NFL.com’s analysis on Kelce’s current playing state:
“Though the future Hall of Famer has lost a step, Kelce remains one of the elite tight ends in the league, and the 36-year-old still has some spring in his step. Take for example that he had 463 yards after the catch in 2025, which was third among tight ends. The newly married superstar, who ranked 37th in last year’s Top 100, eclipsed 13,000 career yards receiving, becoming just the third TE to do so, while finishing his 13th season with 1,080 receptions — good for eighth all time regardless of position. Having been voted to his 11th Pro Bowl, Kelce’s best seasons might be in the rearview, but his peak form is still better than most. He’s got at least one more season with the Chiefs — whom he led in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns — to wrap up what’s been one of the greatest careers in NFL history for a tight end, whether you’re judging it with statistics, team success or individual accolades like his 10th straight Top 100 spot. Kelce had more yards after the catch than expected on 44.6% of his catches in 2025, the fifth-highest rate among tight ends with at least 40 receptions.”
Congrats to @tkelce for another NFL Top 100 appearance!
Travis Kelce Aiming to End NFL Career in Big Way
Getty ImagesChiefs TE Travis Kelce
It’s not out of the question that Kelce continues to play beyond 2026, but he certainly seems to be taking his career one year at a time. He has consistently expressed that he still enjoys the little things about playing in the NFL. Kelce could be motivated by falling down 37 spots from 2025’s list, which he came in at No. 42 on.
It’s odd that he fell so far down this year’s list given that he arguably had a better season in 2025 than in 2024. Although he recorded less receptions (97 in ’24, 76 in ’25), Kelce averaged way more yards per catch (8.5 in ’24, 11.2 in ’25) and caught two more touchdown passes. Despite the drop, this is Kelce’s 11th consecutive appearance on the top 100.
The Chiefs will be leaning heavily on Kelce yet again in 2026. They didn’t add any significant receiving help during the offseason, and no other tight end on the roster is going to come close to making the impact Kelce makes. Hopefully wide receivers such as Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton, along with a revamped rushing attack, will take some pressure off of Kelce as he enters his 14th season.
Travis Kelce Gets Reason to Turn Focus to Football Following His Wedding