{"id":26077,"date":"2025-02-15T01:21:33","date_gmt":"2025-02-15T01:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=26077"},"modified":"2025-02-15T01:21:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-15T01:21:33","slug":"chiefs-give-travis-kelce-deadline-on-decision-to-retire-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=26077","title":{"rendered":"Chiefs give Travis Kelce deadline on decision to retire: report"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kelce says he is ‘kicking every can I can down the road’<\/h2>\n
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Travis Kelce all but admitted this week\u00a0he is contemplating retiring\u00a0after 12 NFL seasons. Apparently, the Kansas City Chiefs don’t want to wait very long for his decision.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0star tight end\u00a0just played in his third consecutive Super Bowl and, at age 35, he has not much left to accomplish in what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career.<\/p>\n

Well, the Chiefs have reportedly given him a soft deadline of “around March 14” to make his decision,\u00a0according to The Athletic.<\/p>\n

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts on the field after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.\u00a0(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The date makes sense, as it’s two days after free agency officially begins, but arguably more importantly, his $11.5 million roster bonus is due the next day.<\/p>\n

A report from NFL.com\u00a0on Super Bowl eve\u00a0said Kelce was “expected to take time after the Super Bowl, consider his future and make a decision before free agency.”<\/p>\n

On the latest episode of his “New Heights” podcast he co-hosts with his future Hall of Fame brother Jason, he said he is “kicking every can I can down the road.”<\/p>\n

“I am not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding there\u2019s a lot that goes into this thing. I\u2019ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I\u2019ve played more football than anybody,” Kelce said. “The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I\u2019m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That\u2019s a lot of wear and tear on your body.”<\/p>\n

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) takes the field before Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome.\u00a0(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“It\u2019s a lot of time in the building. \u2026 That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better, and it can drive you crazy,” he added. “Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off toward the back nine of your career.”<\/p>\n

With the Chiefs\u2019 success over the last eight seasons,\u00a0Kelce has<\/u><\/a>\u00a0played 25 playoff games, adding nearly a season and half worth of games to the 175 regular-season games he has played in his career.<\/p>\n

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Clips of Kelce’s apparent lack of effort in the Super Bowl have gone viral, with fans thinking he’s rather checked out.<\/p>\n

Among tight ends in NFL history, Kelce ranks third in catches (1,004) and yards (12,151) and fifth in touchdowns (77). That comes despite 11 tight ends, including those ahead of him in those prior categories, playing more games than him. For reference, Tony Gonzalez, who leads in catches and yards, played in 270 games, 95 more than Kelce.<\/p>\n

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts on the sideline in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.\u00a0(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

However, it’s clear that he’s not his All-Pro self anymore. This season marked the first time since 2015 in which Kelce played in at least 16 games and failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He also scored only three touchdowns in the regular season, the lowest mark of his career outside his one-game rookie season where he didn’t take an offensive snap before undergoing knee surgery.<\/p>\n

If Super Bowl LIX was the final time fans saw Kelce on the field, it’s certainly the end of a legendary career. Kelce has made 10 Pro Bowls and was either a First- or Second-Team All-Pro seven times.<\/p>\n

Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n