The Kansas City Chiefs failed to make history on Sunday night, losing 40-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and leaving 2024 as one big giant “what if?”

Perhaps no player sums that question up more than legendary tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce is due to be a first-ballot entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, but the question surrounding him all season — and especially all Super Bowl week — is whether this Sunday was his swan song.

The question has been so rampant that even star quarterback Patrick Mahomes weighed in on the topic following the worst loss of his career.

“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own, man. He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy, not only for me to work with but for people to watch. He knows he still has a lot of football left in him,” Mahomes said after the game.

“He’s done enough to be a gold jacket guy and a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

Kelce has been one of the cornerstones of this Chiefs’ dynasty, and losing him would clearly have a large impact on the entire franchise on and off the field. And with a loss in what could be his final game, perhaps Kelce wants to go out like a winner. His brother Jason did the same, after all, signing a one-year deal after losing to the Chiefs in what many thought would be his last game in the Super Bowl two years ago.

But perhaps Kelce acknowledges the simple fact that he is no longer the game-changer he once was. Father time is undefeated and it has clearly called its shot with Kelce in 2024. He can still be an effective weapon, but it is hard to imagine he will be keeping many defensive coordinators up at night next season.

Time will tell what decision Kelce makes. He has made an undeniable impact on the entire sport of football during his career and will go down as one of the best tight ends of all-time, if not the very best.

Whatever Kelce decides, nothing can ever change those facts about his career.