Travis Kelce’s Retirement Announcement Is Coming – New Report Reveals Updated Timetable
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The Kansas City Chiefs should soon know what Travis Kelce plans to do. The star tight end has not said whether he will return for the 2026 season or retire after 13 years in the NFL.
Kelce has a big decision to make. He is becoming a free agent, and he is also set to marry Taylor Swift this summer. Some people around the league think this might be the right time for him to retire.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport said answers should come soon. “This week we should have some answers from Kansas City,” Rapoport reported from the NFL Combine. He made it clear the Chiefs want Kelce back. “They for sure, for sure want him back, especially considering how he played last year,” he said.
So far, Kelce has not spoken publicly about his decision. The Chiefs are still discussing things privately.
Chiefs Wait As Kelce Weighs Next Move
General manager Brett Veach said the team respects Kelce’s process. “We’ve taken a different approach with Travis, in the sense that we’ve kind of prepared for either scenario,” Veach told reporters at the Combine. He confirmed ongoing talks with Kelce and his camp.
“Coach mentioned on Friday he’s had good dialogue with Travis,” Veach said. “On our end, myself, Chris Shea, Travis’ crew, we’ve had some good dialogue there.”
From our NFL Combine coverage on @NFLNetwork: A look at the tight end landscape, starting with a big question in Kansas City. pic.twitter.com/jMK9mEcvjM
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 28, 2026
Veach said the team wants Kelce fully committed if he returns. “They want to make sure that when there is a decision he is 1,000 percent sure that he is all in,” Rapoport added in his report.
Head coach Andy Reid also pointed to steady communication. “As long as there’s communication, I’m good,” Reid said. “That means people want to move forward. I think that’s where Travis is.”
The decision affects more than just one roster spot. Rapoport noted that the team’s draft plans hinge on Kelce’s choice. “Do the Kansas City Chiefs need a new tight end?” he asked. Right now, no one knows.
If Kelce retires, he will not lack options. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported that Kelce could earn at least $15 million per year in broadcasting. Marchand also said Kelce “appears as if he will try to play another season.”
For now, the Chiefs wait. Fans wait. Kelce holds the final call. This week should bring the answer.
