The talk of the NFL the past few weeks has been whether Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce should retire now that the season is over.
Everyone is trying to read the tea leaves about which way Kelce is leaning, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter may have a clue.
Schefter Says Kelce Is Leaning One Way
Schefter said on his podcast he believes Kelce is leaning towards returning to football.
“As of today, my understanding is he is leaning towards coming back to play again. That’s not how he wants to end his NFL career.”
Schefter said the only thing that could change his mind might be if a movie company made him an offer. Kelce recently acted in “Grotesquerie,” which has given him the acting bug.
He also added that, as of today, that is Kelce’s decision, but things could still change.
“Until he makes his decision, there is no decision,” Schefter added.
After the Super Bowl, Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce discussed his retirement and pending decision more in-depth on their podcast, “New Heights. ”
“It’s gonna sting,” Kelce, 35, said on the Wednesday, Feb. 12, episode of his podcast. “I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year and right now I’m just kicking everything down the road. … I’m 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 that a lot goes into this thing.”
“I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years — I’ve played more football than anybody. And it’s because [of] the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league.
“That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body, and it’s a lot of time spent in the building focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand … and that process can be grueling. It can weigh on you.”
This sounded like Kelce was leaning more toward retirement, but as Schefter said, things can change at the drop of a hat. Before the Super Bowl, Kelce said he felt like he had a few more good years in him, and his partner Taylor Swift will support whatever decision he makes.
Whatever his decision turns out to be, we won’t know for sure until March 14, which is the deadline the Chiefs have set for him.