Travis Kelce has confirmed that his decision to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for another season was made months before the team formally announced it.
The 36-year-old tight end discussed his future during a recent episode of the podcast “New Heights,” which he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce. During the conversation, Travis revealed that he had already decided to return for a 14th NFL season midway through the previous year.
Travis Kelce Says He Decided Midseason to Return for Year 14
Kelce confirmed his return during the “New Heights” podcast when Jason Kelce introduced the topic by announcing that “87 is coming back,” referencing his brother’s jersey number.
“Yeah, we’re doing it again. It’ll be fun, gonna reunite with my friends,” Travis said.
The Kansas City Chiefs star also revealed that his decision was made long before it became public.
When asked when he knew he would return for another season, Kelce replied, “About midway through [my 13th] season.”
Travis said he intentionally waited before announcing his decision because he wanted to follow advice from his brother.
“You gotta let the emotions clear and you gotta have a clear head,” Kelce said while explaining why he delayed the announcement.
“I’ve made decisions based off of emotions and they haven’t always played out the right way, so I think taking a step back, letting the emotions settle down, the frustrations from the season …”
Travis explained that he ultimately evaluated both his motivation and physical condition before confirming the decision.
“It still felt like I was hungry enough to get back at it,” he said.
The Future Hall of Famer Wanted Another Chance After Difficult Season
Travis also acknowledged that the way the previous season ended played a role in his desire to continue playing.
“Of course I want to come back, of course I don’t want to end my career not making the playoffs, not having one of the best years,” he said.
The veteran tight end explained that he wanted another opportunity to compete for a championship.
“There’s still a little of that grit and emotion. I (expletive) hated how that (expletive) ended last year,” Kelce added.
“I wanna make it right. Get another chance and get another Super Bowl.”
Travis also pushed back on speculation that roster changes influenced his decision.
Reports suggested his return might have been connected to the Chiefs signing running back Kenneth Walker and the anticipated return of quarterback Patrick Mahomes after recovering from an ACL injury.
Travis denied that those factors were the primary reason for his decision.
“I wanted to take a step back from all of that because it adds to the emotion of wanting to play,” he explained.
“You list all these pros and cons, and you get all these good pieces but where’s my body at, mental determination, my focus, my love for the game — all of that is still there.”
Travis Kelce Credits Taylor Swift for Motivating His Decision
Travis also spoke about the influence of Taylor Swift during a live taping of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
The tight end said watching Swift’s continued dedication to her career helped reinforce his own desire to keep competing.
“She has … we share the same love for what we do and fortunately, we’ve had this desire since we were kids in our selective professions,” Travis said.
Travis explained that Taylor’s commitment to her craft stood out to him.
“It’s just amazing to see her keep going to the table, keep finding new things to write about, keep finding new melodies and things like that,” he said.
“And on top of that, still seeing her have that love and joy in what she does.”
Travis said that perspective helped shape his thinking about the future.
“That’s motivating for anyone to see, let alone my fiancée,” he said. “And knowing that I’m going through something where I’m trying to figure out exactly what the future holds for me.”
Travis added that the experience reinforced his desire to continue playing.
“Something like that definitely motivates me to say, ‘You know what, I’m not done either.’”
Travis has spent his entire NFL career in Kansas City after being drafted by the franchise in 2013.
Travis Kelce Reveals He Knew He Was Coming Back Long Before the Chiefs Made It Official