Travis Kelce has opened up on his deep-seated frustration following a nightmare season, admitting he feels he has let down head coach Andy Reid.
The legendary tight end made the emotional admission prior to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 20-13 Christmas Day loss to the Denver Broncos.
The defeat marked a somber end to the 2025 regular season at Arrowhead Stadium -with many Chiefs fans fearing it could be Kelce’s final game at the iconic venue.
In an emotionally-charged interview with fellow franchise legend Tony Gonzalez, Kelce spoke on the retirement rumors and also laid bare the personal toll of the team’s struggling form this season.
‘It’s frustrating, man. It’s frustrating,’ Kelce said when discussing the season. ‘I feel like I can’t even look my guy, Coach Andy Reid, in his eyes right now’.
The 36-year-old superstar explained that he carries a heavy burden regarding his performance throughout the difficult year.
Travis Kelce has opened up on his deep-seated frustration following a nightmare season
The Chiefs endured a horror season amid retirement rumors surrounding tight end Kelce
HEARTBREAKING: #Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce feels like he let down his head coach Andy Reid this season.
“I feel like I can’t even look my guy, Coach Andy Reid. I feel like I disappoint or I just let him down in some way”
This is sad 🥹🥹🥹
(Via Prime)pic.twitter.com/cAYFVrq6Uf
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 26, 2025
‘Just ’cause I feel like I’ve disappointed or I’ve just let him down in some way, somehow, throughout the year,’ he said.
Kelce, who has spent his entire career in Kansas City, emphasized the high standard he sets for himself when playing for the veteran coach.
‘I just feel like, you know, it’s my job to go out there [and] make it happen. And that’s kind of the pride I’ve always played with, especially playing for him, knowing how hard he works and how prepared he is’.
‘I don’t know, just feel like you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror, put like the biggest expectations on yourself, to be able to get it done’.
The confession comes at a time of uncertainty for the three-time Super Bowl winner who refused to rule out the possibility of retiring at the end of this season.
‘I think I’m still searching for those answers,’ Kelce said when pressed on his looming decision. ‘Obviously the way this one ended with a sour taste in my mouth. I feel motivated but I’ve got to make the right decision for myself.’
However, the three-time Super Bowl winner didn’t fully close the door on the possibility of returning for one more season.
‘Just the fact that when I know it’s over, it’s over,’ he added when Gonzalez questioned what he would be returning for.
‘I still have a lot of love for this game. If I came back it would be just to answer that flame in my heart for this thing.’
The Chiefs star, pictured with fiancee Taylor Swift at Arrowhead back in January, has refused to deny retirement rumors amid the Chiefs’ struggling form during the 2025 season
There are firm beliefs that Kelce will hang up his cleats at the end of the 2025 season
Kelce continued: ‘If it was just Sundays, I think I could play until I’m 50 but obviously there is so much that goes into it.’
On Christmas Day, Kelce’s fiancee, Taylor Swift, watched on as her NFL beau made potentially one of his most emotional on-field appearances of his career.
The songstress has only attended Chiefs home games this season, and even then, she has made reserved, secretive appearances in comparison to the past two years.
The Fate of Ophelia hitmaker has made discreet entrances into the Chiefs’ home amid security concerns, often entering the stadium behind a screen.
The Chiefs will wrap up their difficult 2025 campaign with a final outing against the Raiders in Las Vegas on January 4.
Share or comment on this article:
Travis Kelce makes heartbreaking confession amid Kansas City Chiefs struggles and retirement rumors