Travis Kelce hasn’t officially made his decision on whether he’s returning to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 or retiring. Brother Jason kelce, and future Hall of Fame center, thinks that decision has already been made. 

“I think Travis — I think he probably, in his heart, already knows what he wants to do,” Kelce said on The Steam Room podcast with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley this week. “We’re very similar people, but we also have different ways of thinking about things. Sometimes I can overanalyze situations, and any big decision I’m having in my life I’ll think about the negatives and what about this or that.

“My brother has this way of being like, ‘Hey man, you want to play or you don’t want to play.'”

Seems like the retirement decision will come easier for Travis than Jason, no matter what the younger Kelce decides to do for 2025. Jason Kelce contemplated retirement for several years before officially deciding to retire after 14 NFL seasons last year (at the age of 36). Travis Kelce would be entering his 14th season if he decides to return and will be 36 this October. 

If Travis wants to play as long as Jason, playing in the 2025 season would match his brother for age and length of career-wise. 

Kelce didn’t have his typical dominant season like in years past, totaling 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns (8.5 yards per catch). The 823 yards were the lowest for Kelce in a full season since 2014. 

The playoffs were a llittle better for Kelce, as he finished with 13 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown, but had only four catches for 39 yards in the Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Kelce was essentially a non-factor in the game, but played another significant role in the Chiefs getting to the Super Bowl.

Kelce is the third tight end to have 12,000 receiving yards for his career, as his 12,151 yards are third all-time behind Tony Gonzalez (15,127) and Jason Witten (13,046). Kelce is only 2,977 yards behind Gonzalez for the most for a tight end in NFL history and 896 behind Witten for second. 

Kelce is also third in receptions for a tight end (1,004), behind Gonzalez (1,325) and Witten (1,228). He’s also fifth amongst tight ends in receiving touchdowns (77), as Antonio Gates (116), Gonzalez (111), Rob Gronkowski (92), and Jimmy Graham (89) are ahead of him. 

No matter what Kelce decides, he’ll go down as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. That decision to play in 2025 or retire should be expected soon.