The Kansas City Chiefs do not yet know whether they will need to find a replacement for superstar tight end Travis Kelce, but one recent prediction has him jumping back into the fold with both feet — and at tremendous value.
MLFootball took to X on Tuesday, February 10 with a projection that Kelce will return to the gridiron for his fourteenth and final season in 2026 following a disappointing end to last year, which saw quarterback Patrick Mahomes miss the final three games of the campaign with a torn ACL and the Chiefs finish 6-11 in their first losing season since 2012.
Kelce is an impending free agent but is expected to return and not retire.
Travis is a 3x Super Bowl Champion and 10x Pro Bowler.
Would be a pay cut for his final run.
“PROJECTION: Legendary #Chiefs star TE Travis Kelce is projected to sign a new 1-YEAR, $8 MILLION CONTRACT,” MLFootball posted. “Kelce is an impending free agent but is expected to return and not retire. Travis is a 3x Super Bowl Champion and 10x Pro Bowler. Would be a pay cut for his final run.”
Last Season Was Chiefs’ Worst Since Travis Kelce Arrived in Kansas City 13 Years Ago
GettyKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and tight end Travis Kelce (right).
Kelce most recently played out the string on a two-year contract worth $34.25 million total, which equates to just over $17 million annually.
Inking a deal for $8 million would represent a pay cut of greater than 50 percent, which is a bargain for a player who earned Pro-Bowl honors yet again in 2025, even despite a down year by his standards. Kelce finished the campaign with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five TDs, appearing in all 17 regular-season games.
Spotrac projects Kelce’s market value at $10.8 million over a new one-year contract, should he decide to return to the gridiron for his age-37 season. MLFootball’s projection, then, is making the assumption that Kelce’s comeback would not be about the money, but rather about finishing his career on a high note with Mahomes, his good friend and QB.
Last year was the first time Kelce has ever experienced a losing season since joining the NFL in 2013 as a third-round pick in Kansas City (No. 63 overall). The Chiefs also missed the playoffs for just the second time during Kelce’s tenure in 2025. The team missed the postseason for the first time with Kelce in 2014, finishing 9-7 and failing to win the AFC West or secure a Wildcard berth.
The Chiefs’ absence from the postseason also marked the end of seven consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances and three straight Super Bowl berths.
Chiefs Face Huge Salary Cap Deficit Heading Into 2026 Season
GettyKansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones.
For context, the top annual tight end salary in the league currently belongs to George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers at $19.1 million per season. Kelce was third on the list last year, though dropping to $8 million would plummet his AAV to 21st, just above Josh Oliver of the Minnesota Vikings who functions primarily as a blocker from the position.
If Kelce does return and is generous enough to do so at such a low price, he will offer a cash-strapped Chiefs team extensive value at a position of need. Kansas City is currently facing a nearly $55 million salary cap deficit heading into 2026.
The team can slash $20 million by cutting starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, while picking up another $66.5 million in room via the restructuring of deals belonging to both Mahomes and star defensive tackle Chris Jones.
If Kansas City restructures those contracts, however, the team will face new salary cap hits down the road.
Travis Kelce Sparked Return Rumors With Recent Comments on Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy
GettyKansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
For his part, Kelce has yet to commit to returning or retiring. But Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported on Super Bowl Sunday that the Chiefs are optimistic of Kelce’s re-signing and that fans view recent comments by the tight end as indicative of a coming choice to run it back in 2026.
“Kelce has held back from definitively saying he’ll return, but on his New Heights podcast he recently celebrated the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in a way that made fans believe he’ll be playing,” Rapoport wrote.
Kelce’s quote on Bieniemy was the following: “I can’t wait to see him back in the building, man. He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time, one of my favorite people of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy.”
Travis Kelce Predicted to Return to Chiefs at Major Discount