Over the past several seasons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as the most dominant tight end in the NFL. However, as the Chiefs pursue an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title, NFL insider Dan Orlovsky suggests that there’s a genuine possibility Kelce may opt for retirement after this season. During an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” Orlovsky mentioned that if Kelce delivers a stellar postseason performance and the Chiefs secure another Super Bowl victory, retirement could become a realistic option for him.
“Kelce is fully capable of being the difference-maker. I think he’s got one great run left,” Orlovsky stated on the program. “If he has that vintage Kelce performance, which I fully believe he can deliver, and they go on to three-peat, retirement becomes a very real thing for Travis Kelce. There would be nothing else to accomplish. He’d be arguably the greatest tight end of all time, being part of the only three-peat in NFL history. He’s obviously later in his career; I don’t think there would be anything left. I believe he has one elite, difference-making, vintage, ‘Oh my Gosh, he did it again’ run left in him.”
Of course, several compelling reasons could lead Kelce to walk away from the game. Beyond football, Kelce is pursuing a budding acting career and is dating superstar Taylor Swift. It’s also evident that his on-field performance is declining. He wrapped up the regular season with the worst statistics of his career as a starter, with his receiving numbers dropping across nearly every metric. This season, he reported fewer yards per game, yards per catch, and yards after catch. Additionally, he had a shorter average depth of target and caught fewer touchdowns than in any previous season.
We’ll have to wait and see if a Super Bowl title is enough to drive him toward retirement.
