The future of Travis Kelsey remains uncertain.
The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t revealed much regarding his retirement plans during a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast.
When Kelsey told his brother Jason, who co-hosts the show, that he was “officially unemployed” and that the podcast was his “only job,” Jason inquired whether that meant Kelsey had officially decided to stop playing.
Travis, 36, ambiguously responded, “This is the only thing that’s hiring me right now.”
Reflecting on their difficult season, he mentioned, “It got worse because my guy, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, went down.” He noted that many starters were sidelined, making it challenging to move forward.
“You look back quickly, learn from it, and try to understand what went wrong,” he added. “It’s a great feeling… it’s also an embarrassing feeling, but you just keep pushing forward.”
Kelsey clarified that he wasn’t making any formal announcement about retiring. Yet, he indicated that he and his team were aware of his current status.
Regarding offseason plans, the “Catching Kelce” star expressed intentions to spend time with friends and family, rather than fixating on playoff victories.
He shared, “I’m going to take some time to stand up, become human, and understand what I want next in my football career.”
A three-time Super Bowl champion, he mentioned, “I spoke to a few people in the facility during my exit meeting. They’re aware of where I stand. I still have a lot of love for the game and I’ll never lose that.”
Kelsey remarked that if he felt physically better, he’d “play another season in a heartbeat.” He mentioned the need to see how his body felt and to consider his options moving forward.
After Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Kelsey acknowledged that it was a “tough situation” to navigate but said he would jump at the chance to play again if things aligned well.
Post-game, he told reporters he needed some time to think about his future decisions.
Earlier reports suggested that Kelsey’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, influenced his choice to contemplate retirement after a previous loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
Swift, 36, commented, “I wanted you to go out on a high note.”
Although she couldn’t attend Kelsey’s final game of the season, she did support him at the last Arrowhead Stadium game of the year on Christmas Day. The couple has been entangled romantically since the summer of 2023.
Travis proposed in August, and they plan to marry in Rhode Island this June.
