Travis Kelce insists Chiefs return in 2026 was never in doubt: 'Hungry to get back'

Any concerns astir 11-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce’s vocation continuing with the Kansas City Chiefs successful 2026 were seemingly unwarranted.

Shortly aft quality surfaced that Kelce would instrumentality to the lone NFL squad he’s ever played for, the 36-year-old choky extremity said helium made the determination "about midway through" past season.

"About midway done the season," Kelce said connected the latest occurrence of "New Heights," the podcast helium co-hosts with his brother, erstwhile Philadelphia Eagles halfway Jason Kelce. 

While questions surfaced arsenic Kelce took immoderate extended clip to uncover his decision, helium made it wide helium did not privation to marque an affectional decision.

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Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce walks the sideline earlier the crippled against the Buffalo Bills astatine Highmark Stadium.  (Mark Konezny/Imagn Images)

"I was taking Jason Kelce’s advice. I was taking the proposal to instrumentality a measurement back. You gotta fto the emotions wide and you gotta person a wide head. I’ve made decisions based disconnected of emotions, and they haven’t ever played retired the close way. So I deliberation taking a measurement back, letting the emotions settee down… it inactive felt similar I was bare capable to get backmost astatine it. Obviously, there’s inactive a small spot of that grit and that emotion. I f-----g hated the mode that s--t ended past twelvemonth and I wanna marque it right."

TRAVIS KELCE CREDITS TAYLOR SWIFT FOR HELPING MOTIVATE HIS RETURN TO THE CHIEFS

Kelce said his determination to instrumentality was besides driven by different changeable astatine NFL glory. "And I privation to get different accidental astatine different f-----g Super Bowl," helium said.

Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas City looks connected during an NFL Football crippled against the San Francisco 49ers astatine Levi's Stadium connected Oct. 20, 2024 successful Santa Clara, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

A 6-11 decorativeness successful the 2025 play meant the Chiefs were connected the extracurricular looking successful astatine the playoffs for the archetypal clip since 2014.

As the Chiefs’ offseason got disconnected to an earlier-than-normal start, Patrick Mahomes' season-ending ACL wounded and the uncertainty swirling astir Kelce’s aboriginal are being intimately watched successful Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce (87) celebrates aft a drawback and tally against the Chicago Bears during the archetypal fractional of the crippled astatine GEHA Field astatine Arrowhead Stadium connected Aug. 22, 2025. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

Kelce finished past play with 851 receiving yards and 5 touchdown receptions. 

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The Chiefs selected Kelce successful the 3rd circular of the 2013 NFL Draft. Kansas City made a splash successful escaped bureau this week, signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to bolster its moving backmost room.

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