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On Super Bowl Sunday, news broke that Travis Kelce would be meeting with the Chiefs shortly after the Super Bowl to talk.
The question of whether Travis Kelce will return to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 14th NFL season appears now to perhaps have an answer.
Neither the superstar tight end nor the franchise has announced that Kelce will be back in 2026. However, insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Media told Rich Eisen of ESPN about a new development that makes it fairly clear Kelce intends to come back to Kansas City for at least one last ride.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero on the @richeisenshow talking about a potential Travis Kelce return next season.
“In terms of Travis Kelce, they have already been in contract talks,” Pelissero said. “It seems like this is trending towards Travis coming back and playing for Kansas City.”
Kelce just played out a two-year deal worth $34.25 million. Spotrac projects his market value at $10.8 million on a new one-year contract.
Former NFL GM Urges Chiefs to Move on From Travis Kelce
GettyKansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kelce’s return, should it come to fruition, is good news for the Chiefs’ continuity amid an offseason that could come with meaningful roster turnover. There is also the question of health with regards to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his recovery from an ACL/LCL surgery following an injury in Week 15.
However, not everyone believes that Kelce back on the roster in 2026 is necessarily a good outcome for Kansas City, particularly considering the potential price.
Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL GM and current analyst for ESPN, said on Monday that the Chiefs should look for a younger and less expensive replacement for Kelce in the upcoming draft.
“You have to make the honest and sober observation that you want to pay a player for what they’re going to do, not what they’ve done,” Tannenbaum said. “There are some really good tight ends in the draft like Kenyon Sadiq, Max Klare and Michael Trigg, among others.”
“Go get the next guy,” he continued. “Honor Travis Kelce for what he’s done, but go get the next young tight end and go take care of these other needs.”
Chiefs Face Real Questions at Skill Positions Heading Into 2026
GettyTight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelce’s production remained relatively steady during his age-36 campaign in 2025, as he ended the year with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, and did so without Mahomes throwing him the football over the last three games. Kelce also captured Pro-Bowl honors for the 11th straight season.
Despite Kelce’s name recognition and the level of comfort his return might provide to the average Chiefs fan, his production — even at lower totals than during his prime — could be tangibly meaningful for the offense considering the other pass-catchers on the roster.
Wide receiver Rashee Rice, for instance, has missed significant time due to injury and a suspension from the NFL for off-field issues over his first three professional campaigns. He is now facing a civil suit amid allegations of domestic violence while entering a contract year in 2026.
Kansas City is also searching for answers at running back this offseason, and will likely either pay significant money in free agency for a player like Breece Hall or spend the No. 9 draft pick on someone like Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame.
With so many questions at the skill positions and concerning Mahomes’ health/return timeline, Kelce may end up a luxury worth overpaying.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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