Kelce Retirement: Christmas Game & Future Outlook

Travis Kelce played 96 regular season home games for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The next one could be the last.

Kelce, 36, who was selected Tuesday for his 11th career Pro Bowl appearance, will be at Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night for a Christmas game against the Denver Broncos.

The Chiefs are eliminated from the NFL playoffs for the first time in a decade, and since they next have to travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders in their final game, that means Kelce could bid farewell to the team’s fans on Dec. 25.

“What Travis has done for this organization, for his teammates, his coaches, this city, it’s exceptional,” said Matt Nagy, the Chiefs offensive coordinator. I sincerely hope that’s not true (his retirement plans). I have so much respect for him. »

Kelce has not yet announced whether he will retire after a stellar 13-year career in which he won three Super Bowls and was named to the league’s all-star team four times. But he said his decision would be made quickly after the end of the season, giving the Chiefs plenty of time to prepare not only for the opening of the free agent market and the draft, but also for their future without him.

“I prefer to focus on this team for the moment,” said the main interested party last week, “and all the conversations that I will have with the team and everything that follows will be with them. I think it’s a unique moment in my life, and unfortunately I know when the season will end this year. Usually we start off without knowing when it will end. »

If that proves true, then Kelce will have had an incredible end to the season.

After redoubled his efforts to get back into shape after the Chiefs’ loss to the Eagles in the Super Bowl last February, Kelce played every game for his team during a difficult season for the team. He had 68 catches for 803 yards, joining Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to surpass 800 yards after the catch in 12 consecutive seasons.

Kelce also caught five touchdown passes, matching his total from the last three seasons.

And while Kelce could have ended his season after the Chiefs were eliminated for the first time since his first full NFL season, he instead chose to continue taking the field every day.

He had just one catch for six yards in the Chiefs’ 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans last week, but that extended his streak — the longest in the league — to 189 games with at least one pass catch.

It didn’t help either that Chiefs backup quarterback Gardner Minshew joined Kelce’s good friend Patrick Mahomes on the injured list. Chris Oladokun finished the game at quarterback and will start Thursday night against the Broncos.

“I will say this: What he (Kelce) is going through, even these last two games — we’re out, yes we are, but he’s still here, practicing, offering his advice and helping those around him,” Nagy said. Young players should take an example from him, and that, in my opinion, is what makes him so special. »