As retirement rumors continue to swirl, Travis Kelce is reportedly feeling “a bit defeated,” according to insiders. The Kansas City Chiefs star has yet to announce whether the disappointing 2025 season marked the final chapter of his storied NFL career.
Travis Kelce feels defeated amid retirement buzz, sources suggest
Insider sources close to Kelce have given some insights into his state of mind amid the ongoing retirement rumors. Speaking with the Daily Mail, the sources also reportedly revealed that the star tight end might make a decision regarding his retirement soon.
“Travis is a bit defeated right now,” the source stated. “He is used to still be playing, and he is missing not being on the field, which might bode well for his fans and the Chiefs if he decides to play another year,” they added.
Following the Kansas City Chiefs’ devastating elimination from the 2025 playoffs, speculations surrounding Kelce’s future in the league continue. The Future Hall of Famer has yet to announce whether he will hang up his cleats before the upcoming season. However, according to the insider, that decision is not far off.
“Travis will make the Chiefs well aware of his future plans by early March,” the source claimed. “We will know a few weeks after the Super Bowl if he will be returning or not. That is his timeline that he has set to make a decision to play one more year or not,” they added.
Kelce himself gave an update on the highly anticipated decision during the January 7 episode of the New Heights podcast. The Chiefs star said that he plans on “just being a regular human for a couple weeks, maybe a month or so, trying to figure out what I’m gonna do next in terms of my future in football.”
Kelce remained hopeful regarding the future, adding, “At the same time, if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat.”
