Travis Kelce’s retirement decision confirmed by Pat McAfee as he breaks huge update on Chiefs icon’s future

Travis Kelce has confirmed he is not retiring and will return to the Kansas City Chiefs next season.

The legendary tight end hinted he could walk away from the NFL following this month’s Super Bowl, when Kansas City was humiliated by the Philadelphia Eagles.

But on Wednesday, ESPN star Pat McAfee sensationally read out a text message from Kelce – disguised as a ‘source’ – which read: ‘My dog!!! I’m coming back for sure.

‘I’m going to try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop.’

The message continued: ‘I have a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!’

Kelce managed only four receptions in the blowout Super Bowl defeat to the Eagles while also dropping two passes. However, Chiefs GM Brett Veach has since revealed the tight end was battling an illness leading up to the game.

The 35-year-old was noncommittal about his playing future after the loss, saying on his subsequent New Heights podcast he would ‘take some time to figure it out.’

‘The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league,’ Kelce said.

‘That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. It’s a lot of time spent in the building, focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand, every challenge that you set for yourself. That process can be grueling.

‘It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy at the same time… it was kind of driving me crazy this year.’

I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce..

Source(s) said I’M COMING BACK FOR SURE..

I’m gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..

I’ve got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can’t go out like that!!!! #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 27, 2025

Initial reports claimed Kelce had until March 14 to decide whether he would come back for another year, or call it quits.

Last week, however, his brother Jason suggested that, ‘in his heart,’ Travis has already made his choice.

Kelce was fifth among tight ends in 2024 with 823 receiving yards, but that total was his lowest since his sophomore season in 2014.

The tight end also hauled in just three touchdowns this season and was quiet in Super Bowl LIX, when the Chiefs suffered a 40-22 loss.

On Tuesday, at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Veach explained Kelce had been sick in the lead up to the game in New Orleans.

‘We’re never going to make excuses and talk about it but he was battling with a pretty big illness before the Super Bowl,’ he told NFL Network.

Veach added: ‘The way the Eagles played it wouldn’t have made a difference… we just picked a bad day to have a bad day.

‘But like anything in life, you learn more from the losses than the wins.’

Kelce’s future had been in doubt following the Super Bowl but on Tuesday Veach dropped a huge hint that the tight end would return for at least one more season.

‘We anticipate Travis being back,’ he said. ‘I think Travis is excited to come back… we’re excited to have Travis back and that’s how we’re operating this offseason.’

Back in April 2024, Kelce signed a two-year, $34.25million contract with $17m guaranteed.

As the tight end heads towards the final year of that deal, Veach heaped praise on the the three-time Super Bowl champion.

‘He’s accomplished everything there is in this game and he has that unique ability, not just to make those around him better but find that extra something when you get late into the season and into the offseason,’ the GM continued.

‘He finds a way to stay in shape and produce at a level that only he can… that is such an intangible to have in the locker room with the guys and obviously the relationship he has with Pat (Mahomes) is unique too.

‘So he makes us better when he’s in our locker room and on the field and we’re excited to get him back.’

Veach added: ‘I still think he has that fire and desire to play.’