Chiefs GM Reveals What Travis Kelce Told Him at End of Last Season

The Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last season and entered the offseason with several question marks - one of the biggest being the future of veteran tight end Travis Kelce.

Kelce ultimately took several weeks to decide on his NFL future, but according to general manager Brett Veach, a conversation after the team's final game made it clear what his decision would be.

"There was a lot of speculation in mid-November, early December about Travis retiring," Veach said. "We played our last game in Vegas last year, and when we got back, Trav came in and basically said, ‘I'm going to take a few weeks off, but I ain't going out like this.'

"So we certainly knew ahead of time. We knew basically the day after the last game that he made it known to Coach Reid and to me that there was no way he was going out like this."

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Veach also noted that Kelce wanted to remain around the team during Patrick Mahomes' rehab from the torn ACL he suffered at the end of last season.

"I also think there's an element of how close he and Pat are," Veach added. "I think Travis wants to be there with Pat through this rehab process. There's that element where Travis wants to make sure Pat sees this all the way through and that they're both ready to go for Week 1."

Kelce, 36, ultimately signed a three-year extension with Kansas City. While it's unlikely he plays out the full deal, it gives him the flexibility to finish his career on his terms - and retire with the only organization he's ever known since being drafted in 2013.

Last season, Kelce recorded 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns, earning his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 12:21 PM.