Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that the team expects tight end Travis Kelce to return in 2025.
“We ended the season with him feeling energized,” Veach said at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. “He’s got one more year left on his contract, and I still think he has the passion and drive to play. For us, there’s no deadline.”
Veach added, “We left it at that he’d be back, and we’re looking forward to having him return and get back to work.”
Kelce, 35, finished last season with 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns over 16 games. The 10-time Pro Bowl tight end and four-time All-Pro signed a two-year, $34.2 million extension in 2024.
Kelce, on his New Heights podcast, reflected on the possibility of retirement after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on February 9. He described the season as “grueling” and mentioned that he would take time to decide whether to return to the field.
“It can weigh on you,” Kelce said. “It can make you better or drive you crazy at the same time. Right now, it was really driving me crazy this year. As you get further into your career, you start to notice that you’re not having the same success you once did. It’s hard to accept, especially when you can’t be there in the biggest moments when your team needs you most.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid emphasized that it was Kelce’s decision to make about his future.
“That’s up to Travis,” Reid said.
