Kansas City, Missouri– Travis Kelce, one of the most popular players in the NFL and a three-time champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to return for his 14th season with the team, according to NFL Network.
Even at 36 years old, Kelce still led the Chiefs last season in targets (108), receptions (76), yards (851), touchdowns (5), and first downs receiving (45).
In early January, when the Chiefs’ season ended, Kelce said he wasn’t sure about his future in the NFL. But he pledged to make a decision by early March before the NFL free agency period.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) walks off the field after the Las Vegas Raiders defeat the Chiefs 14-12 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas.
AP Photo/Jeff Lewis
“I love this team,” Kelce said last month after the Chiefs’ season ended. “I’m proud of the way we finished it off, even though it ended this way. Guys still showed up and gave it everything they had. That’s all you can ask for, man. I have a lot of love for this team, this organization and the people here.”
Prior to last season, Kelce rededicated himself by conducting training sessions designed to improve his speed and regain some of the speed and agility he had lost over the past two years. Improved athleticism led to Kelce once again generating yards after the catch, leading the Chiefs in that category (424). He finished last season as the third tight end in NFL history to record at least 13,000 receiving yards, doing so in just 192 games, the fastest to such a feat. Kelce also became the second player in league history to record 75 receptions for 10 consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown.
Kelce’s fame off the football field has grown in recent years thanks to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift, his acting roles, and the “New Heights” podcast he co-hosts every week with his brother, Jason Kelce.
On Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos, Chiefs fans inside Arrowhead Stadium — unsure if that night would be Kelce’s last home game — chanted “KEL-CE! KEL-CE, KEL-CE!” in the final minutes to express their gratitude and appreciation to one of the franchise’s greatest players.
The Chiefs originally selected Kelce with the 63rd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and he joined the team the same year as coach Andy Reid.
Copyright © 2026 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.