Is This the End for Mahomes and Kelce?

Talk of Travis Kelce’s retirement has been in the air, especially as he navigates his 13th NFL season. With Patrick Mahomes now facing a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee—an injury that occurred during the recent game against the Chargers—those retirement questions have surfaced again.

Mahomes has vowed to come back “stronger than ever,” but the Chiefs might approach his return with caution. Meanwhile, Kelce, at 36 and in the last year of his contract, is also considering his future in the league.

Following the Chiefs’ 16-13 loss at Arrowhead Stadium, Kelce chose not to engage with reporters. “Right now is not the time. We’ll catch him this week,” he stated when asked about Mahomes.

The connection between Mahomes and Kelce has been remarkable, tallying over 700 passes, 8,000 yards, and more than 120 touchdowns—plus, they’ve secured three Super Bowl victories together.

Previously, during a press conference before a game against the Colts, Kelce touched on retirement as a possibility. He said he wouldn’t make a decision until after the season ended.

“Watching my brother go through that, I don’t know how the league works, but I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity whether I come back or not, and vice versa,” he commented.

Kelce emphasized the urgency of making his decision before the draft and free agency opens, to allow the team to replace him if necessary. But, with Mahomes injured and the Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, his mindset may have shifted somewhat.

Before Mahomes’ injury, the quarterback connected with Kelce five times against the Chargers. Kelce, who seems to have much on his mind—especially with his upcoming marriage to Taylor Swift—wrapped up the game with seven receptions for 70 yards.