While it’s premature to predict the Kansas City Chiefs will secure a historic third consecutive Super Bowl win, Dan Orlovsky shared an intriguing thought: if that were to happen, Travis Kelce might consider retiring. This isn’t a far-fetched idea, as the 35-year-old Kelce has mulled over retirement multiple times. On Friday’s episode of First Take, Orlovsky suggested that the star tight end has “one great run” left in his career.
“Kelce is fully capable of being the difference maker. I think he’s got one great run left,” Orlovsky stated. “If he has that vintage Kelce performance, which I believe he can and will, and the Chiefs manage to three-peat, then retirement becomes a very real consideration for Travis Kelce. There wouldn’t be anything else to achieve. He’d arguably be the greatest tight end of all time, not to mention the tight end who was part of the Chiefs’ only three-peat in NFL history. He’s at a later stage in his career; I don’t think there would be anything left for him. I genuinely believe he has one elite, impactful, vintage ‘oh my gosh, he did it again’ run left in him.”
.@danorlovsky7 says Travis Kelce has “one great run left” in his NFL career 👀
“If he goes and has that vintage Kelce performance … and [the Chiefs] go on to three-peat, I think retirement becomes a very real thing.” 👏 pic.twitter.com/SVEWmohH4r
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 16, 2025
If the Chiefs fail to achieve a three-peat, it’s easy to envision Kelce returning for another season in pursuit of another championship. However, he will turn 36 in October and had the most challenging season statistically in his career, reminding us that Father Time is relentless, even against elite athletes. Kelce has voiced his own retirement thoughts on his New Heights podcast and during an appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show, mentioning that his views on retirement shift daily.
“I’m excited for these next couple of games … to finish this season off,” Kelce shared with Smith. “I’ll re-evaluate it as I always do, and I’ll probably remind myself how much I love this thing and decide to come back next year.”
Perhaps Orlovsky’s suggestion of Kelce having “one great run” left was his subtle nudge toward the idea that it might be time for the legendary tight end to hang up his cleats.
