Star Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce might not have much more time left in the league. In fact, it seems like there's a strong possibility that the next three games will be his last in the NFL, and he's not going to catch another touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes now that the veteran signal-caller's season is over.
The future Hall of Famer has been mulling retirement for a while, and even though he claimed that he would enjoy this season and take things one day at a time, his latest comments make it sound like he isn't even with the team anymore.
Travis Kelce Distances Himself From Chiefs in Week 16
The devil is in the details, and Kelce's latest statement might have said much more than he actually said. Talking to his brother Jason on their "New Heights" podcast on Wednesday, No. 87's words about Mahomes' injury shouldn't go unnoticed:
“He’s a fearless, fearless warrior when it comes to this football thing," Kelce told his brother, per Sleeper Chiefs. "He’s gonna make sure he comes back stronger than ever. Hopefully, the Chiefs can get him back as soon as possible.”
Notice how Kelce didn't say, "Hopefully, we can get him back." He didn't say "I hope we can run it back next season," or "hopefully, we'll get to play again together." He said "the Chiefs," and that may have been a bit of a Freudian slip.
Truth be told, Kelce doesn't have anything else to prove at this point in his career. He's been there and done that, and he has the tape, the accolades, and the numbers to be considered either the greatest or the second-greatest tight end of all time. Hanging up his cleats makes a lot more sense rather than grinding out another offseason in front of what could be a rebuilding/retooling year.
Even though it has been a frustrating season and he's had plenty of unlucky breaks, such as tipped-ball interceptions or injuring Xavier Worthy, Kelce's numbers aren't half bad. He has 67 receptions on 92 targets for 797 yards and five touchdowns. His seven drops have been an issue, but he clearly can still play at a high level.
Still, with all the things he has going on outside of the field, his high-profile relationship, and a potential media career waiting for him, it's easy to understand why he wouldn't want to keep putting his body through hell every week.
This certainly isn't the dream-like ending to his career that he and the fans hoped for. But if this is goodbye, no one can take anything away from him or what he's accomplished in the National Football League and, especially, for the Chiefs.