Getty
Kansas City Chiefs superstar defensive lineman Chris Jones made a Super Bowl prediction.
Everybody is waiting patiently on Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s decision on whether to retire or return for a 14th NFL season.
His current contract is set to expire in March, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. One would think that if Kelce wants to continue to play that he would remain in Kansas City, but stranger things have happened.
It also stands to reason that the Chiefs would love to have him back if he so chooses. However, former NFL executive and current analyst for ESPN Mike Tannenbaum shared a different take on Wednesday, and Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones couldn’t help himself from chiming in on social media.
Mike Tannenbaum Believes Kansas City Chiefs Should Move on From Travis Kelce
Despite Kelce having a more productive season in 2025 than in 2024, Tannenbaum shared that he believes it’s time for the Chiefs to let Kelce go.
“I would move on from Travis Kelce, and let me tell you why. When you’re in the front office, you have to project what a player is going to do, not what what they’ve done. I’ve made that mistake countless times in my career. Travis Kelce is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but when you watch him and make an honest and sober evaluation of his 2025 performance, clearly his best days are behind him. We talked about their lack of explosive plays, if I was Kansas City, I would make the right, albeit difficult, decision to move on from Travis Kelce and try to get younger, faster, more explosive at the tight end position.”
Jones took to X and responded to Tannenbaum’s opinion with the words “shut up,” followed by the Shush emoji.
Jones is never one to shy away from sharing his feels. He, Kelce, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have been the foundation of the Chiefs’ dynasty and share a close bond. While Tannenbaum’s isn’t completely wrong about Kelce not being quite the quality of player he once was, Kelce is still among the best tight ends in the league and has more than earned the right to continue to play.
Chiefs Need a Decision From Kelce Sooner Than Later
The clock is ticking on Kelce to decide, as the beginning of free agency is just a few weeks away. Whether it’s with or without him, the Chiefs need to know so they can put together the best plan possible for free agency and the NFL Draft. If Kelce chooses to call it a career, they will have a big need at the tight end position.
Here is a look at the other tight ends the Chiefs currently have on their roster:
Noah Gray
Jared Wiley
Jake Briningstool
Tre Watson
Gray has had his moments throughout his five-year career in Kansas City, but isn’t really starting material. Wiley and Briningstool bring impressive size and athleticism to the table, but are very inexperienced. As for Watson, he was an undrafted free agent who spent the 2025 season on the practice squad.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch
More Heavy on Chiefs
Loading more stories