With the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine just around the corner, the unofficial deadline for Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce to make a decision on his future is also coming soon.
Kelce understands that things in the NFL reset in March with the start of the new league year and the 2026 NFL free agency period, and in April with the 2026 NFL Draft. He also understands that his decision directly affects how Brett Veach will operate during the offseason. His respect for the Chiefs’ organization means he wants to give the team enough runway if he decides to call it a career.
Speaking to media members on Friday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid provided the latest update on where things stand between Kelce and Kansas City before lots of conversations surrounding the offseason intensify in Indianapolis.
Chiefs remain in communication with Travis Kelce, but plans for the future are still coming together
Andy Reid was asked whether the team had received any indication from Travis Kelce about his future as the team crafts the offseason blueprint. His answer seemed to indicate that things were trending in a positive direction, but he made sure to emphasize that he doesn’t aim to put words in the mouth of No. 87 before a decision is finalized.
“No,” Reid said. “There is communication, though, that’s the main thing, (KC Star columnist) Sam (McDowell). And so I always go, I’ve said this before too, just as long as there’s good communication, that means people want to move forward, and I think that’s where Travis (Kelce) is – I’m not trying to put words in his mouth at all – and I try to give him some space here. He’s been doing this a long time, and he can sort all that out as he goes forward. But we’re proceeding with that, and there is communication going on.”
Those at the highest levels of the Chiefs organization have made it clear that Kelce still can play at a high level if that’s what he chooses to do. Kelce led tight ends in the AFC in 2025 with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns. At 36 years old, he ranked third in the league among tight ends with 424 yards after the catch.
At the end of the day, this will ultimately come down to what Kelce wants for his future. If that means coming back, the two sides will have to agree on a contract term and dollar amount. Kelce has always been more than reasonable when it comes to taking a team-friendly deal. Those negotiations, should they occur, will undoubtedly move forward at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. NFL leadership and sports agents descend on Indianapolis, Indiana, every year, to set the table for the legal tampering period and the start of the new league year. The fact that both sides are already talking shop at some level certainly bodes well for an outcome that leads to Year 14 in Kansas City for Kelce.