Why is Travis Kelce returning to the NFL? Chiefs star explains reason for playing in 2025

When the Chiefs’ 2024 season ended with a blowout loss in the Super Bowl, Travis Kelce’s future was up in the air.

The veteran tight end, still one of the best at his position across the NFL, was taking some time to mull over retirement. Having already put together an outstanding career that will likely make him a Pro Football Hall-of-Famer some day, Kelce easily could have stepped away from the game after a down year.

Instead, the 35-year-old decided to run it back with Kansas City for at least one more season. Over the past few weeks, reports have indicated Kelce would be returning to the field in 2025, but it took until Wednesday’s episode of his podcast with Jason Kelce, “New Heights,” to hear the tight end’s reasoning behind pushing his retirement at least a year further out.

Here’s what Kelce had to say about his retirement decision and why he wants to play another season.

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Why is Travis Kelce returning in 2025?

Last week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Pat McAfee both revealed that they heard Kelce was set to return for the 2025 season. McAfee shared texts he received from Kelce himself that read, “I can’t go out like that!”

Kelce had indicated in prior weeks that returning to the field was a realistic option, but he was going to “take some time to figure it out.” With his decision now made, the tight end was asked by his brother on the newest episode of “New Heights” why he wanted to run it back in 2025.

“I love playing, I still feel I can play it at a high level, and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing, I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them,” Kelce said. “I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended the year.”

The longtime Chief also noted his love for Kansas City, explaining that he isn’t ready to step away from the team quite yet.

“It’s home for me now, and I don’t want to leave that life yet. I put in a lot of hard work, and I put in a lot of focus into being the best that I can for K.C., and last year, it just didn’t end well for us,” Kelce said. “I feel that there’s a responsibility for me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything that I got.”

Kelce added that he hasn’t “second-guessed” his decision, even when he was at low points throughout the 2024 season.  

As the tight end said in his explanation, he’s under contract with the Chiefs through the 2025 season. He’s set to hit free agency next spring, when he could either retire or continue his run in Kansas City.

Travis Kelce stats 

Last season was a down year by Kelce’s standards. In all fairness, it’s not easy for any 35-year-old tight end in the NFL, but Kelce’s numbers plummeted for the second consecutive season.

He posted career-lows in receiving yards (823) and touchdowns (3), although he still led Kansas City in receiving. Other Chiefs weapons, like Xavier Worthy and Noah Gray, saw increased roles with Kelce’s decline.

In the AFC divisional round, Kelce did put together one of his best performances of the season with 117 yards and a touchdown against the Texans. But he then went on to total a combined six catches for 58 yards and no touchdowns between the AFC Championship game and Super Bowl 59.

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Here’s a look at Kelce’s career numbers, with all 11 of his seasons being with the Chiefs: